Faith schools, and the West Lothian question
Posted by: Richard in Atheism, Glasgow, Personal, Scotland, UKSo this whole faith schools thing hit a bit of a head for me recently, when the BHA sent out details of an “e-mail your MP” letter (see here) that I decided to follow up on.
I’ve a Scottish MP, it’s an English & Welsh bill. I received his generic response yesterday, but he’s busy supporting it, whilst sitting on the fence in his letter. Precisely because, I suspect, he’s aware the West Lothian question is an issue here, and the Government is in need of every vote…
I hold the view that state schooling should not be involved in the teaching of religion, and should not be overtly religious in any way (as a catholic, muslim, jewish school is). Keep it a personal matter, taken care of outside of school, as a personal decision by the family and - hopefully - the children themselves. That’s not to say there shouldn’t be ‘RE’ lessons, but they should focus on educating and informing (”this is what this group believe”), not teaching (”this is what I/we believe”). That is the only way to improve understanding, co-operation and ensure fairness and equality for all religions (and, hopefully, rational/humanist) viewpoints on religion, morality, ethics and so forth.
Unfortunately, this government has latched onto the idea of ‘faith schools’ as somehow a ‘better’. It’s actively seeking funding from some IMNSHO, barmy, individuals who have put up some of their own money, and direct much of the policy. Including the teaching of ‘creationism’, and ‘intelligent (sic) design’ alongside established sciences. Leaving children there with a warped and skewed view of the world, and potentially at a disadvantage in exams, and later life. This is not what tax money should be spent on. Private schools, fine. But not state schools.
So, I wrote to my MP, Tom Harris through the website above. Remember that I live in Glasgow, Scotland. This bill is an English and Welsh bill, and I received the following response:
As you are aware, education is a devolved matter and therefore the Education and Inspections Bill does not apply to Scotland. However, I understand your concerns regarding the possible expansion of faith based schools in England and Wales and I have written to the Minister of State for Schools, Rt Hon Jacqui Smith MP, about this matter. I will contact you again when I have received a response
Very much on the fence: It could be in favour, it could be against (what am I to make of “I understand your concerns“?). However, I fear that I am hitting the West Lothian question head-on: His voting record shows he has backed the bill to date, so he doesn’t offer any indication of his views. Yet, as is to be expected in this day, he’s a right sycophant (as I always seem to find my MP’s are) and hasn’t a rebellious bone in his body, it’s probably pointless to expect a backbone anyway from a Labour MP at the best of times. Not least from a Glaswegian Labour MP with a diverse, and seemingly religious, constituency (perhaps with the historical exception of George Galloway)
It’s frustrating enough that this government is pursuing this policy, but that it is depending on Scottish MP’s to support it, who won’t even come out clearly to their constituents of their intentions when asked about it. I’m wound up about the matter, doubly so that I was educated in England, and find this sort of nonsense going on, and my MP then votes for the legislation, but avoids answering an honest question on his intentions.
Watch this space. This policy is flawed, and I’m not about to let him hide behind the West Lothian question on something so important.
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April 29th, 2006 at 3:44 pm
Good for you, Richard.
April 29th, 2006 at 11:55 pm
Keep going Richard, and don’t let him off the hook. Faith schools are an anathema to me and I have been questioning my MP and getting a load of waffle so far. I think its because he knows I am an old git.
May 2nd, 2006 at 8:51 pm
Strange that so many non-religious people are trying sooo hard to get their kids into faith schools that (I have heard them admit on TV) they will even go to church and pretend to pray. Why is that then? I’m only asking, I’m sure you will know many answers.
May 3rd, 2006 at 10:49 am
Deep breath. Got to be careful talking, in a sense, about religion with your future mother in law
I think we can both agree that there is indeed a great deal of hypocrisy (despite the good intentions) in those who attend church to secure little jonnie a place. I figure it’s a shame they feel they have to do that to get their children a good education; I expect you may agree, but also feel it’s a considerable waste of a seats when you’re the one stuck at the back if they’re there for purely cynical reasons. But they figure what’s the harm in a few early starts on a Sunday morning if it means better results to set little jonnie for life?
Certainly the reason for this effort by parents is that ‘faith schools’ are perceived as being better. Indeed they are, based on result league tables. But it’s not, in my view, because the children are being taught “The Word of God” with state money, it’s that the schools are being selective. For example, these faith schools take less of a share of children from a deprived background than other schools. Plus, as above, pushy parents are far more likely to be involved and active in their childrens education - a good thing by any measure, but a shame to be directed in such a way.
Keep skimming the milk, and you’ll end up with the cream (There’s a much better metaphor, but it alludes me right now). A shame, given that’s exactly what the comprehensive system was designed to overcome. Didn’t do me any harm, now, did it?
Stop laughing at the back there!
FWIW, a comprehensive argument against state funded faith schools can be found here.
http://www.humanism.org.uk/site/cms/contentViewArticle.asp?article=1268
But above all, I just feel it’s a shame that in a time of increasing intolerance, the government is actively closing children off from a broader and more inclusive education that would be result from a more secular education. If at school your best friends cross the belief spectrum from jewish, christian, muslim, humanist or simply agnostic backgrounds, surely the kids will be better positioned to build a future more tolerant and open society than if they’re kept in distinct schools for distinct faiths, and not getting the opportunity to meet each other?
May 3rd, 2006 at 5:22 pm
Much hollow laughter here at the thought of Scottish Catholic schools being able to cream off the best kids - but then its a different world up here.
BTW, did you see the latest think tank report on being happy? Here’s the recipe: shorter working hours, getting married and getting religion!!!!
However, when we talk of faith schools north of the border, we have, until recently meant Catholic schools and despite taking kids from the same range (and poorer - speaking socially and economically) they have performed better than non-denominational schools on a regular basis. And yes, a lot of this is down to parental attitudes. Just less of the ‘couldn’t care less what the kid’s getting up to’ from the religious types?
May 10th, 2006 at 6:31 am
I couldn’t agree more about faith based schools being a bad plan, despite having gone to a Church of England Primary School myself. I seem to remember that faith schools were less strict when I was a kid and that while I had to attend Sunday school to get in, my parents (neither of whom were in any way religious) escaped from having to go to church themselves.
I think that particularly in London faith schools, mean the effective separation of children from different racial backgrounds. I think that even without faith schools this would be a problem because of private schools and people of different races moving to different areas of the city. However I certainly don’t think that faith schools help!
While ultimately I don’t think that religion has a place in school I think that a good start would be if faith schools were not to be able to discriminate on the basis of religious background when selecting pupils. Non religious pupils should also be able to opt out of attending religious events.
Otherwise the system just seems unfair. In a lot of London Boroughs all or virtually all of the decent state schools are Christian. This means that children that are not Christians are condemmed to attend the very worst schools if their parents have not got enough money to send them to private schools.
July 6th, 2006 at 1:57 pm
[...] It seems that the campaign to extend opening hours on Sundays has had a setback in England and Wales. Hugely ironic that a Scottish MP took the decision (another example of the West-Lothian question that I’m sure will be (ab)used by the Tories) - Here in Scotland we have genuine 24 hour opening, and Sundays seem pretty much the same as other days as far as shop opening hours are concerned. [...]