Scotland Votes to Let Children Override Christian Parents on Religious Education

Scotland Passes Law Letting Children Overrule Parents on Religious Education in Schools

The Scottish Parliament has narrowly passed the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill by a vote of 66 to 51 on 17 February 2026.

The legislation fundamentally changes the relationship between parents, children, and the state when it comes to religious observance in Scottish schools. Under the new law, when a parent requests to withdraw their child from religious observance, the school must inform the pupil and give them the opportunity to express a view. If the child disagrees with the parent, the school is required to follow the child's wishes over those of the parent.

The bill also eliminates the longstanding right of parents to withdraw their children from Religious and Moral Education (RME), making it a mandatory part of the curriculum. The Scottish Government has described RME as presenting religious and worldview content in an "objective, critical and pluralistic" manner.

Scottish authorities have framed the legislation as necessary to align Scotland with standards set by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

However, critics have strongly opposed this characterisation. John Denning, Head of Education at The Christian Institute, said:

Pitting children's and parents' rights against one another is a gross mischaracterisation of the UNCRC. It creates a pretext for undue and ill informed interference by the State.

Denning also warned the law "forces teachers into the difficult position of taking sides with a child against their parents, damaging a relationship of trust."

Reverend Stephen Miller, coordinator of the Church of Scotland's education and schools group, told Parliament the proposals do not "seem sensible or desirable in obtaining a harmonious solution" and warned they could "exacerbate" family tensions.

An amendment was passed allowing ministers to create a pupil right of withdrawal in future without new primary legislation. This is not the first time Scotland's government has faced backlash over similar measures. In 2019, the controversial "Named Person" scheme was abandoned after legal challenges brought by The Christian Institute and others. The 2021 Hate Crime Act was also criticised for potentially criminalising private conversations in the home.

Scottish Government Strips Parents of Rights Over Children's Religious Education

The bill passed its third and final vote despite opposition from multiple faith groups and parental rights advocates. For the vast majority of children, Denning argued, "the best action the State can take is to empower parents to fulfil their unique role." Statutory guidance must still be issued involving consultation with denominational schools, local authorities, and organisations representing teachers, parents, and pupils.

The Crusader's Opinion

Let us be perfectly clear about what has happened here. The Scottish Government has decided it knows better than Christian parents how to raise their children. They have weaponised the language of "children's rights" to drive a wedge between families and strip mothers and fathers of their God given authority.

This is not about empowering children. This is about empowering the state. A child can now be kept in religious observance against a parent's wishes, but cannot opt out on their own. That tells you everything you need to know about whose interests this bill truly serves.

Scripture is unambiguous: "Train up a child in the way he should go" (Proverbs 22:6). The responsibility belongs to parents, not bureaucrats. Scotland has a pattern of overreach against the Christian family, from the Named Person scheme to the Hate Crime Act, and now this. Christians across the West must recognise this for what it is: a systematic effort to replace parental authority with state control over the spiritual formation of our children.

Take Action

• Contact The Christian Institute at www.christian.org.uk to support their ongoing legal and advocacy work defending parental rights in Scotland.
• Write to your local MSP through the Scottish Parliament website at www.parliament.scot/msps to express your concerns about this legislation.
• Support the Church of Scotland's education advocacy by visiting www.churchofscotland.org.uk and connecting with their education and schools group.
• Share this story with your church community and encourage discussion about parental rights and state overreach in education.
• Donate to www.TheShepherdsShield.org to support Christians facing persecution and state interference with their faith worldwide.