UK NEWS

CALLS TO HALT FAITH SCHOOLS PLAN

Thursday April 12,2007

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Teachers have demanded a halt to the Government's plans for a new generation of faith schools amid warnings that the influence of religious groups in education will fuel social divisions.

The Nasuwt union has called for a blanket ban on any new state-funded single faith schools, despite Tony Blair's support for giving church groups a bigger role.

But delegates at the union's annual conference in Belfast stopped short of backing calls for all existing state funded faith schools to be closed.

Brian Williams, from the union's Cardiff branch, said: "Why should non-religious taxpayers like me fund faith schools? Would parents believe their taxes were well spent on a Marxist school?"

Mr Williams told delegates that the Government recognised Scientology as a religion which was entitled to state funding to set up its own school. Scientologists believe humans are descended from an exiled race of aliens called Thetans. "These people can get state funding, according to the Government's definition, and set up a school," he said.

Mr Williams warned that faith schools would lead the country into greater social segregation and potential conflict. Delegates passed the motion warning that faith schools could encourage more "social fragmentation".

Mr Williams said many parents simply pretended to be religious to get their children into good Church of England or Roman Catholic schools.

"When children get to year six their parents have miraculous Damascene conversions to Christianity," he said.

"Reverend Blair and his flock not only support religious schools, they seem happy to see their number enlarged. Schools are to educate, churches are to indoctrinate. We believe in free state education for all without religious ties."

A Department for Education and Skills spokesman said: "We have no plans to cease to fund faith schools. The Government is committed to diversity in educational provision in the interests of raising standards and meeting parents' preferences for the type of school they want for their children. Faith schools already integrate fully into the state sector."