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Faith school

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A faith school is a school that has a particular religious character or has formal links with a religious organisation. The term was introduced in Britain in 1990 following demands by Muslims for institutions comparable to the existing church schools.[1] In the United States such schools are often called parochial schools.

Many people are critical of faith schools as they state that they teach intolerance, religious belief is linked to low IQ[2] and religious people are more likely to commit a prisonable crime.[3]

United Kingdom

Each country of the United Kingdom has its own education system but, in each, many schools retain a church connection.

England

English education includes many schools linked to the Church of England which sets the ethos of the school and can influence selection of pupils where there is competition for places. These form a large proportion of the 6,955 Christian faith schools in England. The Roman Catholic church also maintains schools. In addition, there are 114 Muslim [1], 36 Jewish, , 2 Sikh and 1 Hindu[4] (under construction) faith schools. Faith schools follow the same national curriculum as state schools. Religious education in Church of England schools is monitored by the local diocese, but does not typically take up much more of the timetable than in secular schools. Although not state schools, there are around 700 unregulated madrassas in Britain, attended by approximately 100,000 children of Muslim parents. Doctor Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, the leader of the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain, has called for them to be subject to government inspection following publication of a 2006 report which highlighted widespread physical and sexual abuse.[5]

In 2002, Frank Dobson proposed an amendment to the Education Bill (for England & Wales) which would limit the selection rights of faith schools by requiring them to offer at least a quarter of places to children whose parents belong to another or no religion, in order to increase inclusivity and lessening social division.[6] The proposal was defeated in Parliament.

In 2005, David Bell, the head of the Office for Standards in Education said "Faith should not be blind. I worry that many young people are being educated in faith-based schools, with little appreciation of their wider responsibilities and obligations to British society. This growth in faith schools needs to be carefully but sensitively monitored by government to ensure that pupils receive an understanding of not only their own faith but of other faiths and the wider tenets of British society".[7] He criticised Islamic schools in particular, calling them a "threat to national identity".

In October 2006, Bishop Kenneth Stevenson, speaking on behalf of the Church of England, said "I want to make a specific commitment that all new Church of England schools should have at least 25% of places available to children with no requirement that they be from practising Christian families."[8] This commitment applies only to new schools, not existing ones.

In September 2007, attempts to create the first secular school in Britain were blocked. Dr Paul Kelley, head of Monkseaton High School in Tyneside, proposed plans to eliminate the daily act of Christian worship, and "a fundamental change in the relationship with the school and the established religion of the country".[9]

In November 2007, the Krishna-Avanti Hindu school in north-west London became the first school in the United Kingdom to make vegetarianism a condition of entry.[10] Additionally, parents of pupils are expected to abstain from alcohol to prove they are followers of the faith.

In November 2007, the Jewish Free School in north London was found guilty of discrimination for giving preference to children who were born to Jewish mothers.[11]

In January 2008 the Commons children, schools and families select committee raised concerns about the government's plans for expanding faith schooling.[12] The general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, Dr. Mary Bousted, said "Unless there are crucial changes in the way many faith schools run we fear divisions in society will be exacerbated. In our increasingly multi-faith and secular society it is hard to see why our taxes should be used to fund schools which discriminate against the majority of children and potential staff because they are not of the same faith".[12]

In March 2010, Sir Peter Harris declared himself in favour of faith schools, "insofar as they reveal children's deepest concerns and ability to think about theological issues".

Voluntary aided schools such as Church of England and Catholic schools are not allowed to discriminate against staff of other faiths except in the appointment of religious education teachers. They are only asked to be sympathetic to the school's particular religious ethos.

Scotland

Although schools existed in Scotland prior to the Reformation widespread public education in Scotland was pioneered by the Church of Scotland, which handed over its parish schools to the state in 1872. Charitably funded Roman Catholic schools were brought into the state system by the Education (Scotland) Act 1918. This introduced state funding of Catholic schools which kept their distinct religious education, access to schools by Catholic clergy and requirement that school staff be acceptable to the Church. The Catholic schools remain as "faith schools." The others are effectively secular and are known as "non-denominational" schools. The subject of religious education continues to be taught in these non-denominational institutions, as is required by Scots Law.

In Scottish Catholic schools employment of non-Catholics can be restricted by the Church; often, one of the requirements for Catholic applicants is to possess a certificate which has been signed by their parish priest, although each diocese has its own variation on the method of approval.[13] Non-Catholic applicants are not required to provide any religious documentation.[citation needed] Certain positions, such as headteachers, deputy heads, religious education teachers and guidance teachers are invariably Roman Catholic.[13] Scottish faith schools have the practice of school-wide daily assembly/worship; some Catholic schools even have their own prayer. Whilst maintaining a strong Catholic ethos, Scottish Catholic schools have long welcomed pupils from other faith backgrounds, though they tend to give precedence to non-Catholics who come from religious families and a large number of Muslims also go to Catholic schools.

The Imam Muhammad Zakariya School Dundee is the only Muslim school in the UK outside England, and is an independent school. [2]

References

  1. ^ Oxford English Dictionary citing The Independent
  2. ^ Pew Global Attitudes Project (2008-11-05). "Religion Vs IQ". Pew Global Attitudes Project.
  3. ^ Rod Swift (2009-01-02). "Prison population by religion". Federal Bureau of Prisons.
  4. ^ "Hindu state school beginning work". BBC News. 2008-06-06.
  5. ^ Alexandra Smith (2006-03-22). "Call for national register of mosque schools". The Guardian.
  6. ^ "Faith school rebels defeated". BBC News. 2002-02-07.
  7. ^ Tony Halpin (2005-01-18). "Islamic schools are threat to national identity". London: The Times.
  8. ^ Alexandra Smith (2006-10-03). "Church promises school places to non-Christians". The Guardian.
  9. ^ Anushka Asthana (2007-09-23). "Crisis of faith in first secular school". The Guardian.
  10. ^ Polly Curtis (2007-11-29). "Hindu school is first to make vegetarianism a condition of entry". The Guardian.
  11. ^ Polly Curtis (2007-11-28). "Jewish school told to change admission rules". The Guardian.
  12. ^ a b Anthea Lipsett and agencies (2008-01-02). "MPs to voice concerns over faith schools". The Guardian.
  13. ^ a b Gordon Cairns (2007-12-04). "My lack of faith stopped me being accepted". The Guardian.

See also


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