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This is the latest in a series of anonymous case studies from parents, teachers and others who have approached the British Humanist Association (BHA) to help deal with how the education of their children has been unfairly disrupted, or even damaged, by religion in the state school system.
Currently, voluntary aided schools (which make up the majority of ‘faith’ schools)are allowed to discriminate in admissions on religious grounds if the school is oversubscribed, despite being over 95% state funded. Academies and Free Schools are also able to discriminate, as are many voluntary controlled and foundation schools, despite being entirely state-funded. The result of this is that children of the ‘wrong’ religion or of no religion are unable to attend schools which their parents’ taxes help pay for. Here is an example of a father, David, whose child and whole family have suffered at the hands of a ‘faith’ school’s restrictive admission policy. In David’s words:
This subject has literally been a curse since we decided ten years ago to move to the seemingly idyllic market town we now live in. The town is home to a ‘state-funded, fully ecumenical Christian comprehensive secondary school’. The entry requirements for this school are draconian and highly offensive and involve donating money and large amounts of time to church activities. I have no religious beliefs whatsoever, not by lack of reflection or laziness, but by strong conviction. I am happy for my children to have whatever beliefs they choose, but they are both rational people and consequently have no religious beliefs either. When my daughter left primary school aged 11 she was not eligible to attend the school although almost all of her friends did go. They and their parents pack out the churches every Sunday, it’s standing room only. Through no fault of their own, this situation has turned the parents into hypocrites as they do anything to get their children into the school. For these parents (and I have to say for us also), anything is better than the alternative school which is fraught with social problems. So for the past 3 years we have sent our daughter to an independent school which has been financially challenging in the extreme. My wife and I have worked ourselves into the ground to be able to do this, and every time I think of my taxes going towards financing the church school, to which I contribute yet cannot access for either of my children. I cannot help but feeling this is not only an injustice, a kind of religious prejudice, but a grotesque misuse of taxpayers’ money.
BHA campaigns officer Richy Thompson commented, ‘Unfortunately, cases like David’s are extremely common, and I am contacted by parents facing similar situations practically every day. Religious discrimination in admissions leads to a segregated school system. Keeping children from different backgrounds separate damages social cohesion and fosters intolerance.’
The BHA is campaigning to end faith-based discrimination in state school admissions.
Notes
For further comment or information, please contact Richy Thompson on 020 7462 4993.
Read more about the BHA’s campaigns work on ‘faith’ schools.
The British Humanist Association is the national charity working on behalf of ethically concerned, non-religious people in the UK. It is the largest organisation in the UK campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief, and for a secular state.