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Original poster

FAITH SCHOOLS! If you don't agree with them, step this way, my dears.

482 replies

onebatmother · 04/04/2008 00:12

What can be done?

It seems to me that many of us don't agree with them, and some of us (not I) are quite knowledgeable about the ins and outs.

Could we not start a movement?

It's all so wrong, really, isn't it?

OP posts:
Greyriverside · 04/04/2008 18:10

lol don't get started on apostrophes. My DP is threatening violence if I do one more It's out of place.

fiodyl · 04/04/2008 18:14

enlighten me then libidoless... what is there about christianity that i dont know?
If you do a good enough job you never know you may even convert me

kiskideesameanoldmother · 04/04/2008 18:42

for me if faith schools were to be banned then I would like all mention of religion and god etc, removed from the curriculum of all state schools too.

it would be the only fair way imlo.

some state schools, especially at primary, push the faith agenda as much and a few even harder than some faith schools do.

Greyriverside · 04/04/2008 18:49

Oh I think it was taken as read that state schools would stop it too. Otherwise that would be pointless.
If they want to teach about customs that's ok or if they want to mention religion in history of course those are facts so that's ok too.

I think the point was that whereas state schools could be simply told to drop it the faith schools need a different solution which we are looking for.

kiskideesameanoldmother · 04/04/2008 18:52

imo, it is naive to assume that if faith schools were banned that RE would be dropped from the curriculum.

fiodyl · 04/04/2008 18:52

how did it come to be that way in france? or has it always been like that over there?

harpsichordcarrier · 04/04/2008 19:03

nametaken, care to admit you were wrong, please?
your quoted reason is not the only reason.
please feel free to join in with actual arguments, but lobbing around personal insults gets us nowhere, and frankly doesn't put you in a very good light

fiodyl · 04/04/2008 19:04

there was a post earlier suggesting that RE could be replaced with Philosophy,beliefs and tradition lessons

children could be taught that they exist as beliefs only as there are no evidence otherwise. they could be taught that it is not wrong to believe in them but that it is wrong to discriminate against other people because of what they do or do not believe and also wrong to try to force another person to believe what you do

Kimi · 04/04/2008 19:08

Will we be asking to get rid of all faith schools? Or just the Christian ones?
I am sure the Muslim, sheik and Hindi schools not to mention the Jewish ones will all be willing to close.

Kimi wonders off singing Jesus wants me for a sunbeam.

Greyriverside · 04/04/2008 19:10

kiskideesameanoldmother,you said

fiodyl · 04/04/2008 19:13

they dont have to close but they would not be state funded

Greyriverside · 04/04/2008 19:14

Well of course it would be all faith schools schools. There's no difference between christians, muslims, pagans whatever, but we could simply withdraw funding and they could carry on if they wanted to. We would simply spend the money on schools for everyone.

Kimi · 04/04/2008 19:20

Will never happen.

fiodyl · 04/04/2008 19:41

why not kimi?

marina · 04/04/2008 19:56

Fennel...I guess the problem there is that the General Synod is even less representative of ordinary grassroots parishioners than the House of Commons is of the general population unfortunately.
Blu has posted her manifesto before on this type of discussion thread and I think it's a very good one . Then we will all be happy and secular peace and harmony will prevail across the land...

UnquietDad · 04/04/2008 20:48

libidoless. Glad we agree on selection criteria. So where's the harm in making them non-religious? No other state-funded service is based on religion.

It's not as if there are "religious" schools and "secular" schools. There are faith schools and there are schools which take everyone.

If it were a Venn diagram, it wouldn't be one of those overlapping with the bit in the middle - it'd be one of those where the smaller circle is within the bigger. All I want is one big circle.

Blu · 04/04/2008 20:48

"Then we will all be happy and secular peace and harmony will prevail across the land..."

LOL. I can see it now, the peace and harmony which percolates unhindered throughout MN will radiate out and never shall friction and conflict haunt humankind again.

Quattrocento · 04/04/2008 20:57

I am not a believer (ho ho) in faith schools

socially divisive shite imo

let's try to get them all banned

Swedes · 04/04/2008 21:13

Wanting faith schools banned is extreme. If Faith scchools were really left to the faithful only about 10 of them would be turning up each day - it just wouldn't be an issue. The fault in all this rests firmly with those who feign faith to get a place. I think a lie detector test might be the easiest way to resolve matters.
Random lie detector test. Starting with all those parents dressed in full Boden.

Greyriverside · 04/04/2008 21:22

Ah, but what would you ask them? "do you believe in god" didn't an archbishop say that he didn't believe in a literal god?

Hey! maybe there are no christians left. Just people pretending for one reason or another.

whomovedmychocolate · 04/04/2008 21:31

I believe the phrase is:

'Let he who is without sin cast the first stone'

....... all those faith schools using illegal admission practices like only admitting those whose parents donate and denying kids in care and those with special needs.

mapleleaf · 04/04/2008 21:45

I've converted :-) I used to agree with faith schools, but after seeing the dishonesty that goes on (at least in my local faith schools) i am in favour of abolishing them. IMO if these schools were filled with genuine practising catholics/christians then they would have a class size of about 5 pupils.

ravenAK · 04/04/2008 21:59

I'm in - so, what can we do? Anyone?

choccypig · 04/04/2008 22:02

Count me in with any campaign against faith schools.

zog · 04/04/2008 22:05

Have read most of thread but then my eyes glazed over.

My kids attend a CofE primary which is our catchment school. The admissions criteria state that church attendance is only an issue for out of catchment admissions. My children have a full working knowledge of pretty much all religions, have discussed at length the other religions that children have in their class, have had a visit from the Imam of our local mosque, celebrate Eid, Diwali etc. They also sing hymns in assembly and visit church at the end of term. I suspect the majority of people are like me and really don't have an issue with the level that Christianity is "pushed" in the school.

Like others, I really don't recognise the picture of faith schools that has been painted on this thread. However, I totally agree that faith schools should not be able to select on the basis of faith. Those that want to should become private IMO.