A divided society-what can be done?

Exactly, Gill

I don't think anyone suggested that faith schools were responsible for the worrying surge in EDL Anniebach. We were discussing possible reasons for lack of understanding of how 'other' people live, and suggesting ways of preventing it

Varian, you believe faith schools are responsible for the EDL and all far right groups ?

Sorry I obviously made my comments a bit clumsily. What I tried to say was that in an area with a previous history of for example there always being a job available in Ford's and a tradition of just leaving school at 16 and getting a job there, it may take more than one generation for the necessary educational expectations to change when that car plant closes. As to religion in school, you are right grumpa our village primary is CofE voluntary and open to all children in the village irrespective of religion

If you have a strong faith, you will never fear that your children might learn about other ways of looking at life and belief. Tell them what you believe, but encourage them to be open to alternative views.

You never know, they may even decide to follow your faith without being shielded from the rest of the world.
J
Help your children to be free to chose their own beliefs. By going to school alongside everyone else, not being segregated into narrow like minded groups, they will flourish.

Varian, you quoted one Jew, I replied as one Christian

what's happened to the italics option ?

Disappeared

Annie there are very many Christians who are part of the Accord Coalition. The belief in integrated secular education is not just the "belief of one Jew" as you put it.

accordcoalition.org.uk/our-members/

I agree that there are Christains who seem to feel so insecure about their beliefs that they do not want to allow their children to learn about alternative beliefs.

In America, and possibly even in the UK, there are creationist schools where children are taught the God created the world in six days about six thousand years ago as if it was a fact. Surely you cannot support that?

I tried MaizieD it's bloody annoying!

So faith schools are the cause of the far right movement and my belief that children learn racism in the home is wrong?

Oh, sorry, trisher. It wasn't differentiated in any way (for which I blame Gnet's revamp; what's happened to the italics option ? ).

OK GillT57, what did *you mean by that?

I beg to differ with those who think church schools do not push belief in God . The do and they must or they will be judged poorly by the Statutory Inspection of Anglican, Methodist and Ecumenical teams. (Known as section 48 inspections) RC schools have Canon 806 (1). My grandson is at a c/e school as he is out of the catchment for the community school. He hears about God on a daily basis! Everyone has the right to practice a chosen faith or none. This should not be a school responsibilty and is really a divisive system. All schools should be free of religious influence and just teach about the key faith & non-faith groups. There are excellent and awful faith and community schools. Faith does not make a school better or worse!

Varian,that is the view of one Jew, it is not the view of this Christian

MaizieD best ask GillT57 it was her comment if you read my post I am disagreeing with it.

Faith can mean all sorts of things, but children are entitled to understand that they may chose for themselves whether they believe in any religion. It should not be imposed on them, and certainly not in a state school.

Rabbi Dr Jonathon Romain, chairman of the Accord coalition is a man of faith, but wants his children educated alongside children whose families have other religions or none. Many religous people support secular integrated schooling.

To put it bluntly and crudely ( and there are schools here doing it), they are still educating children to be factory fodder

Can you explain what you mean by this, trisher? I constantly come across this as a criticism of state schools but I really don't know what they are doing to justify it. They teach the same national curriculum and the pupils sit the same tests at faith and non faith schools. What is different?

Varian, faith is rather more than - do as you would be done by.

Annie no-one is restricting the belief systems of parents, but schools should be places for education, not religous or political indoctrination. Children should learn to think for themselves and given the knowledge and freedom to make their own choices.

There are many good aspects to religion but advice such as "do unto others as you would be done by" are not exclusive to any faith.

GillT57 you said Another problem I feel, apart from religious schools, is the schools themselves. To put it bluntly and crudely ( and there are schools here doing it), they are still educating children to be factory fodder but there are no longer the factories. Blunt I know, but when you have generations who have always got a job in the shipyard/mines/car factory or whatever, it takes a sharp change in schools philosophy to get this message across.
On the contrary many church schools have extremely high aspirations for their pupils and have very high SATs scores, particularly at primary level. It is one of the reasons they are seen as desirable by parents of other faiths. Most of the faith schools do have a different ethos and Catholic schools have very high levels of discipline. That said I think the proposed legislation that they will be permitted to admit 100% of pupils of the religion they represent is very wrong. The present situation with children of other faiths being admitted if there are spaces is much better. And I do think that all religions should be expected to finance faith schools, if they wish to keep them.

My daughter went to a Catholic PS for Year 6 and loved it, said it was her best school year. Despite that, I think it's better for children to mix irrespective of faith at that stage. I love the TV ad at present where children say what the difference is between them and a friend, and differences like colour are never mentioned - it should be like that with faith too IMO

Yes - they are totally absorbed into the state system and at one time had filled a gap in local schooling. They usually do have slightly different feel but they teach exactly the same things as any other state school except maybe have more assemblies.
I also did long term supply teaching in a Catholic school - again just the normal curriculum with Sats etc and had little overt religion. - they occasionally went to a simple service in the local church but that was only special occasions etc. Children of various faiths attended the school.

So Varian, faith must be limited to the buildings you list ?

All state schools should have an age appropriate religous and moral education curriculum. This is different from religous instruction in one belief system. The place for that is in the home, church, temple, mosque, synagogue etc.

The so-called "faith schools" which are maintained at taxpayers expense should either continue as private schools or be absorbed into an inclusive state education system if we want to foster social cohesiveness.

accordcoalition.org.uk/2017/07/28/large-majority-think-good-schools-should-be-mixed-environments/

Don't see why any church/faith based school should have the same funding as straight state schools. As I grew up I was aware of RC schools and the influence of the priest/ diocese over them but it wasn't until I worked for the old ILEA that I discovered voluntary aided schools.
That are no Church of Scotland schools.

Yes, you are right Grumppa. I am a governer of our local Church in Wales school. It was first set up by the Anglican Church because there was no school in the parish . Children of different faiths and no faiths are pupils, yes we celebrate Easter and Christmas , the parish priest visits but not to preach , it gives him an opportunity to talk to the children and so a chance to know if the child has needs,

Why should this school be closed down Gill?