Boom in Academy faith schools could have devastating consequences for the health and wellbeing of society

January 5, 2012

 

The Accord Coalition has written to Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Education, to register its deep concern and ask for further clarification about proposals highlighted in a recent article in the Times Educational Supplement (TES) that the Department for Education is seeking to make the process for community schools wishing to become a Church of England Academy faith school quicker and easier.

At present separate consultations have to be held for a proposal for a school to become an Academy and then also a faith school, but the TES reports that plans are being devised that would allow the two consultations to be combined.

Chair of the Accord Coalition, Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, said ‘Academy faith schools are able to discriminate on the grounds of religion in pupil admissions and in the recruitment and employment of teachers, as well as teach what they like in Religious Education – there is no requirement that they teach about the range of beliefs held in society.

‘Faith schools such as these help increase ethnic and religious segregation; undermine community cohesion and do not adequately prepare children for life in our increasingly diverse society. We are therefore very concerned that the Government may be making changes that will allow more schools like these to open.

‘Faith schools should be made more inclusive, while ones that will operate in narrow, discriminatory and exclusive ways should not be newly created. Allowing community schools to become faith Academies could therefore have devastating long term consequences for the health and wellbeing of our society, and I have asked Michael Gove for further information about his Department’s plans, and to register our deep anxiety.’

5 Responses to Boom in Academy faith schools could have devastating consequences for the health and wellbeing of society

  1. Terry Burns on January 6, 2012 at 5:34 pm

    I fully support schools following an objective, fair and balanced syllabus for education about religious and non-religious beliefs

    Religious views should not be funded by the state, religious groups who want to push their views should pat for it not the taxpayer,

    • Stephanie Clarke on January 7, 2012 at 9:42 pm

      But isn’t that the point – the faiths are paying for some of it. An easy way in to spread nonsense that will create bigoted adults from children who are perfectly capable of making up their own minds.

      • john ricketts on January 30, 2012 at 4:05 pm

        “The faiths are paying for some of it” only in the sesnse that they are paying a fraction of the costs.

        Here in Cheltenham a brand-new “faith” academy (All Saints’ Academy) has been built at a cost of many millions, and all its running costs will now come out of the state schools budget; in return the local Catholic and CofE dioceses each forked out about one million – a miraculous bargain one might say.

        Look up up the very presentable website of that academy and “INCLUSIVE” is one of the first few words to drift across the screen!

        John Ricketts

  2. Ruth on May 1, 2012 at 9:29 pm

    If you don’t want to put your child in a faith school put them in any one of thousand other community schools available. Every other nation in the world hasn’t got a problem with their nation’s faith setting the precidence in all things. It’s sad to see that the Church and England are slowly drifting apart. Why can’t we embrace diversification in education and not tear down what works but focus on remedies for the weakness in general educational establishments?

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