Education bill…
Education bill
This week (Wed/15/Mar) is the second reading of the reformed education bill. I’ve already written to my Labour MP and expressed my feelings about ‘Trust’ schools and how I detest the idea that religious groups can buy in at 10% then control and set the “ethos”. Education should be about opening minds, not closing them, especially at a young age.
Read about it here:
Labour party members voice opposition to schools reforms
“In crucial findings, 80% of party members disagree that external sponsors of trust schools should have “some influence” over what those schools teach” – Patrick Wintour, The Guardian
http://tinyurl.com/nkhcg
Education Bill – Government About To Make A Mammoth Mistake On Faith Schools
“The Government is about to make a mammoth mistake by making it easier for more “faith schools” to be created in this country – including more than one hundred Muslim schools.” – National Secular Society
http://tinyurl.com/pukxd
Faith Schools are Sect Schools
Sign a petition to have ‘Faith’ schools renamed to ‘Sect’ schools
http://www.petitiononline.com/sects/petition.html
Related:
Creationism in schools
Exam board brings creationism into science class
“Pupils in England will be required to discuss creationist theories as part of a new GCSE biology course being introduced in September.” – Guardian Unlimited
http://tinyurl.com/rdjpk
Academics fight rise of creationism at universities
“Some are being failed in university exams because they quote sayings from the Bible or Qur’an as scientific fact…” – Duncan Campbell, Education Guardian
http://tinyurl.com/fnd76
March 15th, 2006 at 11:27 am
“However Faith Schools are popular with the electorate at large – you only need observe the competition to get into them”
From my personal experience, competition is fierce to get in to them because of the indoctrinated, closed views of the faithful i.e. catholics wish their catholic children to go to a catholic school. This is primarily because all non-faith schools actually have some form of C of E religious assembly. Faith schools also tend to get a lot of investment from the church that your typical school does not get; as such faith schools are able to offer facilities and standards of education that aren’t possible at other schools. Parents want their children to go to the ‘best’ school and these ‘best’ schools are usually those that have the most cash to spend.
March 15th, 2006 at 12:43 pm
My MP’s reply:
“My general position on the Bill is:
I have consistently made clear to my whips my serious concerns about the White Paper. However having discussed the Bill with the Leader of Knowsley Council and the Director of Children’s Services I am minded to vote for the 2nd reading with a view to seeking amendments at Committee and Report Stages. This is also the position of the organisers of the Alternative White Paper to which I subscribed.
With regard to the issue of Faith Schools, I note and understand your concerns. However Faith Schools are popular with the electorate at large – you only need observe the competition to get into them. Parents are not forced to send their children to them. Indeed they by and large value the ethos of such schools, which you (and you are entitled to your view) call brain washing
With regard to the teaching of Creationism in certain Faith Schools, this is a curriculum matter and all schools in such matters are subject to the control of the Curriculum Standards Authority.
Yours sincerely
[My Labour MP]
March 27th, 2006 at 3:10 pm
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March 27th, 2006 at 3:12 pm
Interesting view point on the whole issue of faith schools. I personally have concerns about faith schools.
As a Christian I believe that Christianity is about choice, you choose to be a Christian it’s not something you are born into or can be forced to do.
Apply this to the education system and I believe that you should have the choice to be educated at a Christian, Muslim, Secular or bog standard comprehensive school.
So in principle I am in favour of the trust schools, that said I would be concerned if the level of education was better at one type of school than another. Whatever ideology was behind the school it should offer the same level of education.
There is a bigger picture which can be missed if you focus on just the religous aspect of the trust schools. The fact is politicans have proved that they are incapable of running public services, if by trust it means privatising the schools then this can only be a good thing in my opinion. If it means less beauocracy (probably spelt wrong) for teachers and head teachers then this is good. More accountably for what they spend then this is good.
Lets hope they do the same with the NHS, but that’s a totally different issue.
March 27th, 2006 at 3:16 pm
you are lucky you know… 2nd post and comments already!!!
April 15th, 2006 at 7:56 pm
As areaan said, you’re lucky. The problem with all sorts of web stuff is that it’s not enough to have a web site or blog, you have to find some way of driving potential readers to it. I’ve lost a couple of web site clients by advising them to take out paper adverts (free paper in one case, Private Eye in the other) so that their intended readership will know that their sites exist. Personal blogs haven’t a hope in hell of coming anywhere need the first page Google, nor have limited-interest booklets for sale. Sadly.
Oh, and Blooger doesn’t help by a)not having an obvious “comment now” option other than “read the comments” and
b)giving the impression that punters have to sign up before they can comment. You’ve got to “choose an identity” before it becomes clear that you haven’t to.