What is so bad about faith schools?

[Jalexandra]

After reading the 'anti sitting on a fence' thread, I was surprised by how many people had chosen faith schools as a subject they feel strongly about and was just wondering why.
I can't think of any good reason to be against them so maybe you can enlighten me.

Yes, of course they beleive their creed is the truth, but why can't people understand why people don't want their children being taught that what they think is irrational nonsense is a fact - in SCHOOL. That's why people object to their children singing hymns.

And in a survey of schools in teh Evening Standard, while some religious schools did well, others did appallingly. What do you mean by 'the same standard'? as each other, or as religious schools?

I'm sorry, but...

ROFL at "sound a bit like Communism.".

(ooooh there be Communists in these here parts)

Come to think of it...can we have a state funded Communist school pls?

We should go the way of the French I reckon, that'll probably be the first and last time I'll ever say that as well.
Do Catholic schools not receive further funding from their community, voluntary aided isn't it?
The schools in our general are do get the best results (catholic) but I personally would never send my child there, nor to a muslim or jewish school either.
I firmly agree with sorrell, faith should be left at home.

A communist school, a BNP school, a libdem school, a tory school, a labour school...good idea?

Catholic primary schools, secondary schools, independent schools and sixth form colleges serve the needs of approximately 839,000 children and young people in England and Wales, representing just under 10% of the total school population.
The Catholic schools in receipt of state funding are formally designated ?voluntary aided maintained schools?, being maintained by their Local Education Authority (LEA) ?just like state schools - and therefore in receipt of all revenue funding comparable to other schools in the LEA area. The governing body of the Catholic maintained school has responsibility for the recruitment of the head teacher and all teaching staff, the admission of all pupils against published criteria and the programme for the teaching of Religious Education. Being a voluntary aided school, the governing body must also find 10% of the costs of all capital building programmes so they need to find costs over the state funding ? they do not get extra funding for this ? it is raised through voluntary contribution through church, parents etc basically any way they can raise it.
The argument that taxpayers are funding Catholic schools to which they cannot gain entry is spurious; Catholics are taxpayers like other members of society. In fact, the contribution of the Church to the capital costs reduces the financial demands on the public purse.

This is so boring...............I swore I would not post on anymore threads like this.

I will say only this, when are people going to stop trying to erode Faith schools ??, when you have achieved a generic pan globalisation one size fits all educational system. ??????

Sorry but there is just no reasonable justification, that I can see, for state faith schools to be necessary.

All the arguments put forward like 'accommodate different religions/cultures' and 'some children take their first communion and confirmation through school' are things we can do without needing specific and separate schools.

A family can practice and bring up children in a religion outside of school perfectly adequately and without disadvantaging their neighbours.

It's not spurious in the least. Countess Dracula's local primary - the one that would be the easiest to get to - is Catholic. Her daughter would not be eligible to go, and even if she was, it preaches a creed that she does not believe in. Of COURSE they discriminate.

Yeah, Sorrel, it'd be good for a laugh.

What'd the uniforms be like, thats what I want to know.

I cannot see how it disadvantages others - children still learn English, Maths and everything else on the ciriculum(sp!)so why does having more emphasis on a particular faith disadvantage those not bothered about that faith in the first place?

Red/red white and blue/yellow/blue/pink I'd guess!

Well, it clearly disadvantages those, like Countess Dracula's daughter, who live right next door to a local, state funded primary that they aren't allowed into and instead have to commute to school, for a start.

It disadvantages the other children that live in the vicinity of the school but cannot go there because they don't practice the relevant faith.

a faith school is always going to be "local" to someone who doesn't want to go there - they have to be built somewhere. There are 2 state schools in my village - they are both within walking distance to me and would be ideal if they were the kind of school I wanted my children to go to - they are not - they are state schools but I don't complain about the fact that my "local" catholic school is 10 minute drive away.

And it's a school that their parents fund from their taxes.

Are there any other state funded public services that discriminate by religion? Er no, there'd be uproar. How is this different?

I could moan that I am disadvantaged because the schools that I want to send my kids to are not local enough!

But that is your choice helsi. Choice is taken away from those whose options include a school they are excluded from right from the start.

So, I have 2 schools in my vicinity - a catholic one and a non-denominational one. I have no choice, my catholic neighbour does.

But they don't 'have' to be built anywhere, actually.
As Gobbledigook says, how about religious hospitals? 'Sorry Mrs X, we can't treat your child's brain tumour here because they are Catholic. You will have to travel ten miles to the nearest Jewish hospital...' Yeah, that would be a good idea.

Bollocks - but you see what I mean? Not nice, is it?

But I pay taxes like everyone else too - my taxes will be going towards schools that I don't use.

The point is, if you don't agree with Catholic schools, don't send your kids there. This wouldn't even be a discussion if alot of Catholic schools weren't better than other schools. Is that a coincedence?

And if your local hospital refused to treat your child because you were Catholic, would the same apply?
And you CAN use non-discriminatory schools, you just choose not to.

but you do have a choice gobbledigook - you can apply like everyone else. they DO admit non-faith children.

Of course it would still be a discussion. My kids go to my most local school which is not religious, and I have a choice of local non-religious schools. Doesn't mean I don't feel strongly about it on principle. You know, as moral issue!