Watch the faithheads come out of the woodwork!

[Breton1900]

Today's Guardian [http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/01/free-schools-parents-time] has raised an interesting conundrum.

However, if creating free schools is simply a Tory ruse to let private enterprise in by the back-door then watch and see how money from religious groups in the US and, no doubt, the Middle East pours in to create free Faith schools. With no controls on an approved curriculum let's see how long it will be before thousands of children are being taught that the world is only 6,000 years old, evolution is a lie, girls are the "weaker vessel", and abstinence is the best form of contraception.

what is a 'faithhead' ? is it an abusive term for a religious person?

"and abstinence is the best form of contraception." it is though!

Who thinks the world is only 6000 years old??

But you are right, I think there a possibility that this happening.

Donnie, I think it is meant to be head teacher of faith schools, that is how I understood it anyway.

gorionine - my brother does for a start (evangelical christian) and he believes Creationism should be taught as fact in schools . He's a lovely but very impressionable guy.

yes well good luck to the parents who choose to send them there! I wouldn't in a million years - I'd rather emigrate!!!

My question was more general Lionstar I never new that was an Evangelican christian belief.

As for creationisme I quite like the idea myself. Do not say it should be taught in schools but am convinced that before all the Darwin evolution theory could take place things had to come from somewhere. Personal beliefe though.

I'm not sure if it is strictly an evangelical Christian belief, he does just seem to have some odd ideas of his own!

As far as your personal belief, some kind of 'intelligent design' is a lot easier to swallow than created-in-6000-years Creationism.

The family has endless circular arguments with him, usually referring to dinosaurs, sharing DNA with apes/earthworms/bananas and the intricacies of a fly's eye. He quotes vast tracts of the bible and seems to think that is proof enough.

As for the original OP, I do think it is a possible risk. No approved curriculum would worry me.

hasn't this already happened to some extent with Peter Vardy schools in the north east? The schools which he partially funded teach creationism as fact.

Teaching the biblical creation myth as just one amongst many creation myths that exist around the world is fine for RE but teaching creationism/ID as fact in a science lesson??

If science is going to teach this then it may as well teach astrology and homeopathy as serious scientifically based topics! Not to mention accepting the idea of a geocentric universe as well!

"No approved curriculum would worry me."

Why? We didn't have one until very recently anyway. There was no National Curriculum when I was at school and I am not that old! The schools will still undergo OFSTED inspections to ensure that children are receiving a suitable education.

I appreciate the concerns about teaching creationism as fact, but IMHO one of the positive things about this is that schools will be able to take a different approach to things rather than blindly following the NC.

The timeline that puts the creation at 6000 years ago was worked out by James Ussher, archbishop of Armagh ((1581-1656). I don't think he was a Muslim...

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Did someone say he was? I do not undersand your post Cory