Priests just handing out School Admissions letters

[Marypoppins19]

I’m prickly about this, but friends who live closer to a school of our choice, but only go to church at Christmas, have still managed to get a church support form. We go weekly, always have. AIBU to think this is unfair and breaking the rules?
AIBU to consider saying this in an appeal?

OP - if your friends live nearer then THEY SHOULD GET THE PLACE! Over people who live further away. That is how state local education OUGHT to work.

The priests don’t make the decision, they just sign the forms .

My son went to a church school based simply on the fact they had a place when other schools didn’t. Nowt to do with the priest although I gather new applicants get a form signed. We never saw a priest until DS started ta the school.

We were given a church school as our only option as it was our nearest and was apparently undersubscribed in that year. I was furious with the LEA, refused the school, and appealed for one further away on (non) religious grounds - and won. When I told my NCT group that pfb had got into this church school, one mum was really pissed off about it and said she’d gone to church for the last two years specifically to get her child in, and it was unfair that I just got it easily on catchment/distance. The whole thing was ridiculous on so many levels, and naturally they stopped bothering with church once they got into the school. I don’t get it. You either believe it and are into it, or you don’t, and if you don’t then why on earth would you want your child attending? Bizarre.