Faith schools

Whatever next – Satanist schools?

The absurdity of the current faith schools policy is illustrated by the ironic suggestion for satanist schools. (Spoof web-site noted in BHA's Humanist Bulletin 03/03/05.)

Humanist Philosophers Group

Religious Schools: the Case Against

Narrowing of horizons

Concerns about our government's encouragement of faith-based schools were expressed by Professor Amartya Sen (lately Master of Trinity College, Cambridge) in an address, "The importance of basic education", to the Commonwealth education conference in Edinburgh (Polly Curtis, the Guardian, Tuesday October 28, 2003).

I personally believe that even the UK government makes a mistake in expanding, rather than reducing faith-based state schools, adding for example Muslim schools, Hindu schools and Sikh schools to pre-existing Christian ones 6…

… schooling can be deeply influential in the identity of a person and the way we see ourselves and each other. This issue has received some attention recently in the special context of the role of fundamentalist religious schools, and there is need to pay attention to the narrowing of horizons, especially of children, that illiberal and intolerant education can produce. …

The importance of non-sectarian and non-parochial curricula that expand, rather than reduce, the reach of reason can be hard to exaggerate. Shakespeare talked about the fact that "some men are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." In the schooling of children, we have to make sure that we do not have smallness thrust upon the young.

Discrimination in Staff recruitment

A worrying aspect of voluntary aided schools is that of religious discrimination in staff recruitment although all staff salaries are paid by the state (see "Facts about faith schools", the Guardian, Wednesday November 14, 2001). The preamble of Devon County Council's form "Application for Teaching Appointment" states:

Appointment will be based solely on merit and without regard to issues of race, colour, ethnic, or national origins, sex, religion, marital status, sexual orientation or disability, unless this is justifiable as a genuine occupational requirement as may be the case in respect of appointments in Voluntary Aided Church Schools.

A section of this form headed "Applications for teaching posts in Church of England Voluntary Aided Schools in the Diocese of Exeter" includes:

Governors of a Church of England Voluntary Aided school give particular consideration to your application on the grounds of your religious commitment. In addition, the Governors will wish to consider your ability and fitness to preserve and develop the religious character of the school. Please give the name and address of your Vicar/Rector/Minister, or other suitable person who may be asked for a reference on these matters.…

If you are appointed, the Contract you will be asked to sign includes the following clauses:-
… You are required, if called upon to do by the Headteacher, to give religious education in accordance with the doctrines of the Church of England and the Trust Deed of the School. You are required to take part in the lead acts of religious worship, if required by the Headteacher.

Gordon Peckham
Exeter