Should we stop state funding of faith schools?

Question

The UK government gives money to 6,955 Church of England, Roman Catholic and Methodist schools, 36 Jewish schools, six Muslim, two Sikh, one Greek Orthodox and one Seventh Day Adventist school. I am asking respondents to give a reasoned answer as to whether or not we should continue to support schools that have a religious component outside statutory religious education, which all school children receive. The government has recently opened a commission to look at the "cohesion and integration" of our society. I believe that this question should form part of this debate, as I believe that the teaching of a faith to children has a big impact upon their most fundamental thought processes, and that to ignore this question is to ignore the next generation of our society. Thanks to those of you who answer this question.

Answer 1

yes.

Answer 2

Of course we should stop it. In fact we should ban all separate religious schools. All children should attend the same schools. There should be complete separation of church and state. Maybe there could be a slight amendment to the school day, so that those parents who wished could send their children to the religious instruction of their choice, say on Wednesday afternoon, while the other children could have some other teaching or recreation that their parents would think appropriate.

It is completely wrong to have quasi-religious services in school. Teachers should not be allowed to force young children to pray, to punish them for not praying. This is an obvious abomination.

This does not mean that there would be no assemblies, but that they would be secular occasions, marking something of interest and giving information. There could even be music if it was wanted.

Separate schools have been a disaster in N Ireland. We need to roll them back in the UK. Clearly some religions would object, but I hope my suggestion of the Wednesday afternoon God slot would mollify them

Answer 3

There should be no funding of any faith school. If a parent, of any faith, wishes their children to be brought up in a particular religion that is their prerogative and should be respected. However as we live in what is quickly being recognised as a secular country why should taxpayers foot the bill. In the past in protestant churches children received faith teaching through such things as Sunday School, Bible Class and church based youth organisations. To me the practice of segregated education for religious reasons could, in future, pose a threat to our sense of society. All children should go through the same education system and religious teaching should take place in their homes or churches. I also feel that while parents are responsible for such teaching they also have a responsibility to the child and society to ensure a measure of understanding and respect for others.

Answer 4

Yes. No state should fund any type of segregation. To see why you can look at Northern Ireland, where faith schools are the norm.
People from either side are ignorant of the most basic facts about the other group and deeply distrustful of anybody who doesn't belong to their own. This would not be the case if faith schools were abolished, so they could learn as children to be together peacefully.

Answer 5

Absolutely, taxpayers' money should not be used to support religious faith, any more than it should be used to support other areas of personal belief (alternative medicine, political affiliation, etc). A daily act of worship at state schools is also out of order, although I have no problem with comparative study of religions within the national curriculum. People should by and large be free to invest in their own religious (or medical or political) beliefs, individually or collectively, so faith schools that are funded privately are fine, or after-school clubs/holiday camps run by the local church, mosque, synagogue, temple, ... .

Answer 6

Definitely. The state should not fund religious division. Further than that I believe religious based schools should be outlawed as divisive. In most areas of life it is illegal to discriminate on grounds of religion but not apparently in schools. You only need to look at the experience of Northern Ireland to see the harm that sectarian education does.

Answer 7

Yes indeed we should. Unfortunately there is a false, hypocritical prophet in No 10 Downing Street, who tries to be all religions to all men, who does not agree with you. And while this disciple of Satan remains there more and more public money will be poured down the Devil's Drainpipe.

heavenlyhaggis

Answer 8

YES....but I dont have anything against it if they gave the same amount of money to all schools supporting different religion. The thing is that you know there will be more money given to christian and catholic schools. the other religions wont get much so its not fair

Answer 9

People keep going on about religion and the problems we all have understanding different religions we should integrate all religions and classes together and maybe just maybe well all have a better understanding of each other definitely yes.

Answer 10

I think that as long as these schools are held accountable in the same manner as public schools, funding should continue. By that I mean they must administer standardized tests, teachers must be fully credentialed, buildings must be up to code, and no students can be discriminated against based on their race.

Answer 11

No we should not stop funding .All religions are paramount to the human race and stopping this i believe results in problems where the young are then taught to be biggots etc etc ,instead of being tolerant and understanding of all faiths where they can be educated to accept all beliefs in retrospect of all human races .