To ask for your opinion on faith schools?

[Syrinx89]

That's it, really. In this day and age, it seems strange to me.

I resent that my taxes pay for school my children won't be able to go to just because I don't go to church

If they don't select on the basis of religion/church attendance then I have no strong feelings.

But Churches are communities too and if there is a church adjoined to a school where a child and their siblings have been Baptised there, their parents married there, attended weekly and been involved in the life of the community, have a friendly relationship with the clergy and other parishioners then why should a parent who has no wish for their child to ever belong to that community be prioritised over a child who is? A lot of school services take place in the church...ie children attend a Catholic School and go to Ash Wednesday service alongside the parishioners, or the School Nativity takes place in the church with parishioners in attendance. Is it really fair for a child who is a part of that faith community to be denied a place in the school so that a child whose parents disagree with the faith can take place in all these important faith based activities over them?

I agree that more secular schools should exist for those who want their child to solely have a secular education. I do not agree that faith schools should be scrapped or their admissions policies be disallowed.

I resent that my taxes pay for school my children won't be able to go to just because I don't go to church

But again, particularly with regards to Catholic schools, this was the settlement between Church and State under the Butler Act. It wasn’t sought by the Church. The Government wanted to bring these schools under the Education Act, and therefore was willing to maintain them, as far as I can see.

Taxpayer funding should not be used for any kind of faith based education. Every parent has the right to take their children to their chosen place of worship and to folllow their own rituals, let this take place outside of school time.

3 of our 4 nearest primary schools were popular faith schools which is great if you are Christian but our DC are Muslim.
So my DC were effectively excluded from 75% of the state funded primary schools as after the faith cohort and siblings there were very few places left for people who lived in the area.

@mantarays I'm not arguing that they are illegal

I am OK with them. The only bit I don't like and not sure how you deal with this are those who 'rediscover' their faith only for the period of time their children are at the school, or about to go there.

I think they are outrageous. Imagine a state funded hospital or police service or fire station that only helped Catholics or Muslims or any other faith group.

I understand the history and how they came about but that is now a very long time ago.

My understanding is that many primary schools are CofE because the churches started the schools and own the land. Where I live all schools are CofE for this reason. The government cannot afford to buy this land from the churches so this will continue and opens up other faiths to open their schools.

I don't agree with faith schools at all, I think all education should be secular. If you want to raise your child in a specific religion, do it in your own time at your own expense. The fact is, I believe, that most religions know that they need to catch 'em young to have any chance of keeping the followers going. We have some massive problems in the UK around religious schools - girls being taught separately to girls, certain topics no covered etc. Ofsted can't keep up with it and not enough is done to stop this, probably because it would upset too many communities.

It's not particularly 'relevant'. You're not asking a question related to something topical. The question you've asked has been asked numerous times before. If you don't like faith schools, you don't need to send your child to one.
The fact that lots of parents do choose them means there is a demand.
I can't imagine hating other people's choices so much that I'd try to it away from them. It's incredibly intolerant and it's also a view that seems to have no understanding of the history of how faith schools came to be in the state system. It wasn't churches that lobbied for it. It was the state.

NameChange84
How would you feel if your 3 nearest state funded schools were Muslim, Hindu and Sikh so the bulk of the Christians only had the choice of the community school.

They shouldn't take my taxes if they won't take my children.

If a school wants to be selective on faith grounds, they should not receive funding from the tax payer to do so.

If you don't like faith schools, you don't need to send your child to one. Well quite, I can't!

Around here, I (atheist) have 2 choices of primary school. If I was Catholic I'd have 5, I'd I was Muslim I'd have 3.

I think everyone should have 6. Seems obvious.

Why don't you campaign for more state schools then? Or for a genuine non-secular option? Historically it would be impossible to 'take' faith schools into the system and make them non-denominational. As a PP pointed out, the government often doesn't own the land or buildings.

Hence if what you really want is more secular schooling (and even non-dom schools teach about faith) then campaign on that basis. Then, I'd think it was about education and access. And lots of people would support that. But often these threads are about shutting down options, not opening them up.

Where is the funding for these new state schools going to come from. Taxpayers are already contributing to schools they are barred from accessing.

It wouldn't be impossible - the government could just stop funding schools which select on the basis of faith. I'd certainly vote for that.

Taxpayer funding should not be used for any kind of faith based education

Whyever not? Surely the religious and non religious alike pay taxes?

BadCatDirtyCat

And I’m not pointing out the opposite. I’m just explaining that the current situation is of the Government’s doing.

@ChazsBrilliantAttitude

My background is Muslim so I’d be fine sending my child to the Muslim school providing I’d checked it out and was happy with the education. There were no Muslim schools in my area when I was a child but my parents wanted me to attend a faith school. They sent me to the nearest Catholic school. It wasn’t the nearest school. The others were secular. I had a great education at the Catholic school. My family and other non-Catholic children’s families were invited in and welcomed during Multi Faith Week to give talks on their faiths. I’m still part of that community even though I don’t attend the place of worship. I attend lots of their multi faith events, concerts etc. It’s been a great experience for me.

I agree with others, campaign for more State based schools. Scrapping faith schools is not the best alternative.

Its not about reducing choice, I'd be happy for faith schools to continue to function, I just don't want to pay for them if my children are barred.

As pp upthread said Imagine a state funded hospital or police service or fire station that only helped Catholics or Muslims or any other faith group

I'd certainly vote for that.

But millions of people wouldn’t. Politically it would be disastrous.

Whyever not? Surely the religious and non religious alike pay taxes?

Because some taxpayers are excluded from accessing faith schools.

The kids that go to faith school are entitled to tax-payer's money to educate them, right? They're not taking money away from other kids. They're using their own 'allowance' for a faith-led education.
If you don't like faith schools, ensure your kids don't attend one.

@mantarays I'm not here arguing about the law, or about what manifesto promises would be popular or otherwise