From the Humanist Association - discuss

But with your higher intelligence you knew what I meant Rosesarered

Not spelling, just the wrong word?

Oh, my spelling being corrected yet again, how childish

Think she meant humanism.

Dunno, it was a word that anniebach used.

With respect, we are discussing schooling in the UK , now if you had lunched with African Christians you would have been informed the education system would collapse if church schools were closed , but this isn't Africa or Switzerland is it

What as 'humanitarianism' got to do with this thread though!?!?

Well that was lovely- no segregation of course, although I was one of the few non-religious people there. I talked to the Vicar and others about this thread- and they were truly amazed about Church schools in the UK. One used the word 'medieval'. This could never happen here- and all agreed that is for the best.

Only one thing was in question from the start- are Church schools divisive or not- and more and more believe that they are, including Christians. That does not add up to being anti-Christian, once again.

Jalima- I live in rural Switzerland- so only Christians present + a few non religious volunteers who help the Churches provide social care and support here, together, with mutual respect- I don't think any of the piddling Christian groups we represented ;)

Wonderful. Not a single person there would have thought me as being 'anti Christian' in any way, shape or form.

As Dave ...

Ouch! roseshavethornstoo???

Stop being so bossy Rosesarered , if I feel happiness , joy, sadness I will say so , you are not a forum moderator even though you display an eagerness to be so

Oh stop playing the victim anniebach nobody has told you that you shouldn't go to church or been a rabid humanitarian, for Heavens sake.
I am a Christian too, but just don't agree with any faith schools, they are divisive whatever you choose to say, and we would be better off with secular schools only.All faiths could continue to practise at home and in church/temple/synagogue/mosque. just because some of us don't agree with with you, your posts go on and on ( and on.)

Parents start attending church just to get their children into Anglican schools , no way will Anglican schools be the cause of segregation and ghettoes , the most pathetic reason I have heard of for closing these schools, where are these Anglican ghettoes in the cities that are so feared ?

This is without any allegation of anyone who has posted here , has this hysteria of segregation and ghettoes stemmed from fear of the Muslim Faith ? I think possibly that it has

Pax, Elegran and Anniebach a simple misunderstanding and confusion of names
Perhaps when granjura returns from her lunch she can explain how she reconciles segregation at her lunch and cooperation?
Will they be segregated granjura?

How can they not be?

Oh and I do apologise for offending anybody by using " piddling little" when referring to any religions, I was thinkng of minority/ breakaway/creationist/ breakaway from breakaway etc sects and merely attempting to denote size.

And, getting back to the OP, fewer than 1 in 4 primaries and only about 1 in 16 secondary schools in England are C of E schools, not one-third.

Those schools are generally over-subscribed because they have a good educational reputation, not because they indoctrinate children.

I'd have said that my lack of prejudice came through in my posts. I am known for being restrained and polite, I only shout when pushed beyond a certain point.

I am tired this morning too. I went to bed after midnight ( late for me). I am trying to organise not just a lunch but a whole day meeting for Gransnet members (as inclusive as those who want to come will make it. I have no problems at all with anyone who will definitely be there, and I would have none with anyone else adding themselves either)

What is so sad is not wanting the state to support faith schools but accepting the support given to many vulnerable people by churches

If I have confused names again I apologise , I am really tired this morning, but I can manage to confuse names even when not tired

Please do not raise your voice to me Elegran, your prejudices came over loud and clear in you posts without the need to raise your voice

I think anniebach may have meant granjura not you, elegran when she said 'go and enjoy your lunch'.


Only Christians at the lunch? That is interesting, it is not that inclusive then.

Statistics can be manipulated to mean anything, though. In the OP it states that 98.6% of us don't attend church services. What it fails to point out (and is wrong in its assumption) is that, whilst regular attendance at 'established Cof E' services may only comprise 2% of 'the population' many people attend occasionally and a whole swathe of the population will be attending other Christian worship.

So to conclude from those figures that 'Britain is not a Christian country' is a nonsense.

Whether or not the C of E should be disestablished is another question.

Although do think that all schools should be secular, and that comparative religion should be taught objectively and without bias as another subject.

I am out of this conversation. Banging my head on a brick wall is not my favourite occupation, so I shall stop.

NO_ONE IS LOCKING ANYONE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. IT IS YOUR EARS THAT ARE CLOSED TO THE MANY TIMER THAT HAS BEEN SAID.

Yes Alea, those words shocked and upset me

Elegran, you views are certainly given cause to fear the aggressive section of humanitarianism . Enjoy your lunch with people you obviously have problems with

On the fear that teachers without a personal faith would ridicule the faith of their pupils - they would then be breaking the Teachers' Standards set out by the Government. This applies now to all teachers, and would presumably stay in force without change.

A quote from part of it:-

"Teachers uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school, by:

--- treating pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect
---- showing tolerance of and respect for the rights of other
---- not undermining fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
---- ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit pupils’ vulnerability or might lead them to break the law.
---- Teachers must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality."

It has already been explained what the use of the word "private" meant - not part of "public" institutions.

I have lived in Blackburn and I now live in East London - and faith schools, which are increasing with the introduction of "free" schools, have and will continue to create division.

This is hardly an anti-religious notion - as Luckygirl said, there are religious people feel similarly. To say that those who feel this way wish atheism to form the framework for education is a distortion of what is actually being said.