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<p>The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) (Amendment) Regulations
2014 do not require the active promotion of the protected characteristics in the Equality
Act.</p><p> </p><p>The Regulations require that schools actively promote principles
which encourage respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected
characteristics. This is a crucial distinction. It is right to respect other people,
even if one does not agree with them or their way of life. This is a fundamental part
of preparation for life in modern Britain.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is absolutely
clear that the changes make no difference to the existing legal obligations that schools
have under the Equality Act 2010. All schools are already required to abide by the
Act and their obligations are not altered by the changes to the standards. The changes
do not fetter the views of individual teachers or censor the discussion of relevant
matters. A teacher who, for instance, disagrees with same-sex marriage because of
their Christian faith will not be prevented from expressing that view by these changes.
Since the changes make no difference to schools’ existing legal obligations under
the Equality Act there is no question of the ability of schools to teach traditional
Christian values being overridden.</p><p> </p>
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