'Inclusive' Faith Schools Face Opposition
Faith groups have rallied against the planned introduction of a quota for new faith schools in England to fill a quarter of all places with non-believers.
by Anne Thomas
Posted: Wednesday, October 18, 2006, 6:30 (BST)
Faith groups have expressed opposition to the planned introduction of a quota for religious schools in England to fill a quarter of all places with non-believers.
Under legislation being put forward by the Government Tuesday, new faith schools in England will be required to admit at least 25 per cent of pupils from the wider community.
An amendment to the Education Bill is being tabled by Lord Baker, who called "exclusive" faith schools "divisive".
Education Secretary Alan Johnson said he thought the amendment made "good sense". But faith groups, including Muslim and Jewish representatives have criticised the idea.
The Catholic Education Service also opposed the new plan.
Director Oona Stannard said faith schools were "not part of the problem".
In a lengthy statement issued by the Catholic Education Service for England and Wales, Ms Stannard said the governing bodies of Catholic voluntary aided (VA) schools were the admissions authorities "and should remain so without political interference".
"Their role should not be compromised by a requirement to implement social engineering through externally imposed admissions quotas," she said.
"Schools with a religious character are part of the solution for society, not part of the problem."
But Lord Baker said children were being divided at the ages of five and 11.
"And we've only got the example in Northern Ireland to see where that leads," he said.
The exclusive Muslim schools were very exclusive, he said.
"The selection criteria is that they make it clear that they want to create a total Muslim personality, and at the age of 11 pupils are asked if they've read the Koran, or are they fluent in Arabic, have they learnt the prayers.
"That means that children of other faiths will not apply. And I think that further divides society."
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Added: Wednesday, October 18, 2006, 14:27 (BST)
In working to stop quotas for faith schools in Britain, I would advise Jews, Catholics and Muslims - who all oppose quotas - to adopt the same arguments that Northern Ireland Unionists used, against the principle of quotas for their police service.
Quotas are deemed to be illegal, by European laws.
I read the most logical and concise opposition to the principle of quotas in an Ulster Unionist document, written by Ken Maginnis, now in the house of lords. Never before have I read such logical arguments in my life, as his, against the 'unfairness' of quotas.
I recommend his, and his co-religionist Protestant's, arguments on this matter to you.
Good luck.
Jan Brooks, Mid Glam., U.K.
Added: Wednesday, October 18, 2006, 9:01 (BST)
It is my belief that education is for all. Free and complete. It is also my belief that State education is offered by a secular State. If faith schools wish to offer education, and at the same time receive State funding, then they should offer education as free and unconditional to all children. If they wish to exclude certain children, then they should not receive state funding of any kind and should move totally into the fee-paying sector. It is grossly unfair ot have some schools receiving the benefits of public money
Jenny, Barry, Wales
Added: Wednesday, October 18, 2006, 8:52 (BST)
Shouldn't the question be more about improving the teaching of our respective faith's rather than arguing about the impact of splitting amongst the faith's...?
Scott Jones, London, UK
Added: Wednesday, October 18, 2006, 8:20 (BST)
Being inclusive should not mean that the C of E. denies its own story for the sake of the included ones. In too many places in Australia and else where "my" church ( Anglican - here in Australia) sells itself short.
This does not mean we push "truth" down the throats of others BUT it does mean we are not ashamed of the story we have to tell to the nations.. We give a reason for the hope that is within us.... Because they have asked the question. Too often our agenda has been to either provide the answer whether or not others have asked the question OR we dissipate into an amorphous humanism .... with nothing to offer. Having lived in an Islamic country where Christians had few rights to be Christian even in the few remaining Chirstian schools there your example could be used to remind followers of Islam that Christians can be authentically tolerant.
John Swanston, Kenmore Hills australia
