Obama ctiticises faith schools

hindus have god in different representations and forms...

Just read this thread. Whatever reason he has for making his speech, it isn't to do with being re-elected. He's in his second term.

Agreed. I think he's not in favour of anything that encourages sectarianism and I'm glad he's willing to say so.

But that's what faith schools are, jings – segregated schools. Schools that segregate according to faith

Sadly Bags, it is much worse than that. They do not 'only' segregate according to faith (and so many in NI on one side of the other do not have faith apart from hatred) but on political, social, cultural and so many other lines. Religion is just an obsolete sort of background to all this. And in Glasgow even divide by football!!

Re Northern Ireland - I feel that Catholic and Protestant are not in conflict over theology! These are labels, denoting people who want to be part of The United Kingdom,and those who would prefer to be part of a united Ireland.

Were it not for the appalling behaviour of both sides over the past forty years or so I might say that I have sympathy for both points of view. Just as well it isn't up to me, then.

Politics and religion combined make a poisonous brew. And yes -I have advocated the use of the term 'sectarian schools' - much more realistic than the fluffy 'faith' schools - talk about weasel words!

They have a long way to go in America - I have been reading about the cookery show presenter Paula Deen, who thought it would be a nice idea to dress negro men (only that was not the word she used) as slaves and have them serve at a wedding. She sees nothing wrong in racist jokes.

You're right feetlebaum. At my ex son-in-law's rugby club (all protestant Orangemen) their version of the National Anthem goes,

God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save our Queen,
NO SURRENDER - sung to the short musical link
Send her victorious etc., etc.

My daughter had her first baby in Downpatrick hospital which is mostly catholic and was given a private room (paid for by the local Orange lodge) as they didn't want her to mix with catholic mothers on the ward. They told her that her English accent would set her apart and it was 'for her own safety'

I can't tell you how much we would have objected to the marriage if we'd known what was in store for her but he was an absolute charmer to begin with and she loved him.

Greatnan,Ive always found Paula Deen an embarrassing cariature example of a women from Georgia.There is no excuse for her ignorance. The racism she shows died with my parents generation and only shows its ugly head with stupid people.Stupid people will always be somewhere. Lucky for her she has all the money she could ever need.

It's impossible to pontificate about segregated education in NI unless you have lived under that regime. I haven't and neither has Obama. I have, however, lived in the next worst situation: in the south-west of Scotland where my school was non-Catholic and the only time we met Catholics (we called them worse than that) was on the hockey pitch where it was all-out war. There was nothing specially religious about this hostility. It was no more nor less than tribalism, as an enlightened NI friend of mine explained it. This tribalism is exemplified best in Glasgow where the 'old firm' match used to be held on New Year's Day and police leave all over Scotland was cancelled. Not sure what happens now that Rangers have been relegated!

I am glad she is in minority, Envious. I remember reading about lynchings when I was younger, and burning with anger. It is the very ignorant rednecks in the UK who are racist, too.

I think that whilst NI is a particular case I believe all faith schools should be closed.

In my educational utopia all education would be in a good local school, state funded and run by well qualified professionals in partnership with the local community.

No faith /academy/free/grammar/comprehensive/ private /public schools just all through schools for children aged 6-18 serving the local community.

Children under 6 would be able to attend Nurseries either close to home or parents work place, again staffed by highly qualified and properly experienced professionals..#dreamscancometrue

I've just asked DiL who is American and a teacher.
All public schools (ie state-funded) in the States are secular.
There are faith schools, but they are fee-paying.
Unlike the UK.

Sorry if I've repeated what someone else has said. Only just realised there were 3 pages to this thread
Will read rest of thread now

I so agree, nanaej.

Totally agree nanaej - just as it is here where I live - no private schools (only for expats) and no faith schools- and no religion as part of curriculum.

My neighbour who used to live in New Jersey said her 5 year old son said 'God Bless America Underdog! in school each morning. Being Brits it amused them as they found the hand on heart thing too much for 5 year olds anyway.

I am really surprised that they don't have any prayers in US school assemblies. Thought with all that hand on heart stuff they would be well into their religion.

I guess it's like the majority of our schools - teach the facts about the various religions, but not actually worship.

Learn something new every day!

Although I think our schools are supposed to have worship, but a lot of them get round it.

Do any other countries apart from UK and direct colonies have assemblies in school? Certainly totally does not happen in Europe.

There is a huge difference between teaching 'about religion' as in state schools in the UK, as well as humanism and atheism (sadly rarely discussed as a valid option) and teaching 'religion'. I have absolutely no opposition to the former, but I do to the latter.

See 1944 Education Act. "Religious instruction" I believe is the only compulsory subject in UK education. Sadly it has recently been reported that a good proportion of primary school teachers now rely on the Internet to prepare their RE lessons because of their own lack of knowledge in this area.

No Gorki in the 21st century the Prmary National Curriculum includes Maths, English, Science, PE, ICT, History, Geograohy, Music, Art, D&T, MFL, Citizenship, etc... Can't remember it all as I retired seven year ago but it's all compulsory nowadays. And guess what? It's all change again in 2014 I believe. Usually one class teacher is responsible for delivering all the subjects, though if you're lucky the might be a music and/or specialist PE teacher around. No surprising if teachers have to use additional resources to deliver this to the standard required.

I stand corrected. I should have said I was referring to secondary education when talking about compulsory RE but I may be wrong. I used to teach it but retired from mainstream many many years ago in favour of the much more congenial (to me ) ESOL.

Jo8 - Prayer in US Schools would be unconstitutional (although obviously any individual pupils who feel the need can pray to themselves). Despite the acute religiosity of certain communities, The United States is a secular country, aand had many freethinkers among its founders.

Here, State schools are, I believe, subject to a statutory requirement for "an act of Christian worship" daily. This is seen by many as an embarrassment.

There is, I think, an opt-out available to those aged sixteen or over. My feeling is that the opt-out should be available to any pupil old enough to be confirmed...

I prefer the more enlightened secular US model. Opt out options are the devil because people (parents, that is) are too afraid or too inertto use them.

We did, by the way, but we were the only ones in spite of not being the only non-religious parents.

If you reject the idea of Faith schools you cannot call yourself a liberal in human and political terms. A `liberal`has a `live and let live` philosophy.

Faith schools are now getting a `bad name` because of religious fanatics and terrorism. But why lump all types of religious schools together and wish to ban the lot!
After all, Church of England Schools have been with us for many decades and have done a great job without any concern - until terrorism reared it ugly head.