The conscience clause was an important term in
education
Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...
in
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
throughout much of the 19th century. In this context, it referred to permitting parents of schoolchildren to withdraw them from
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
worship services or other school activities that violated the parents' religious principles.
Overview
The conscience clause is part of the
Elementary Education Act 1870
The Elementary Education Act 1870 ( 33 & 34 Vict. c. 75), commonly known as Forster's Education Act, set the framework for schooling of all children between the ages of 5 and 12 in England and Wales. It established local education authorities wit ...
(
33 & 34 Vict. c. 75), which established the neutrality and indifference of the state regarding religious instruction. It was introduced and applied to all State-aided schools to protect the religious liberties of minorities, who were viewed as religious dissidents. The law, which was not applicable to
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
and
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
stated that "no
religious catechism or religious formularity which is distinctive of any particular denomination shall be taught in the school."
The conscience clause did not exempt students from Saturday classes or any other day when their religious creed require attendance. d and that it is composed of diverse interests and influences so it is not bound by the principles of the Church.
Objections to the introduction of the "conscience clause" included those made by the Church of Missionary Society, a section of the Church of England, arguing that this rule will force them to close their schools. Critics refer to it as a "secular intrusion", claiming that it turns education into mere instruction.
Usage
In Scotland, a similar law was passed in 1872.
The inclusion of the conscientious clause was a result of a series of public discussions that resulted in the adoption of Bible instruction in primary education while respecting the conscientious objections of parents and guardians.
Similar policy was adopted in some British colonies such as the
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands () are a group of islands situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean. Starting with the Virgin Islands east of Puerto Rico, they extend southeast to Guadeloupe and its dependencies. In Engl ...
, which introduced its own Education Act in 1890. This law reinforced governmental participation in governance of schools that receive public funding but also allowed learners invoking the conscience clause without suffering discrimination in their lessons.
In India, the term became the subject of debate in 1882 after it was raised by a Commission led by K.T. Telang, which recommended that private schools that receive grants from the government adopt it.
It was only on 1904 when the conscientious clause was first applied in
Travancore
The kingdom of Travancore (), also known as the kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor () or later as Travancore State, was a kingdom that lasted from until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvanan ...
.
Further reading
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History of education in England
Religion and education
Religion in England
References
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