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Faith school backing challenged Faith school backing challenged
(about 6 hours later)
The government is lining up with religious groups to assert that faith schools make a positive contribution to community cohesion in England.The government is lining up with religious groups to assert that faith schools make a positive contribution to community cohesion in England.
In a joint statement, called Faith in the System, they will say religious schools are "valuable, engaged partners" in education and beyond. In a joint statement they call religious schools "valuable, engaged partners" in education and beyond.
The faith groups and government will say they want to dispel misunderstandings about faith schools. They set out to "dispel myths" about faith schools, and signal an expansion of the sector with Muslim state schools especially being in short supply.
But a teachers' union has voiced doubt about the government's stance. But the ATL teachers' union has voiced doubt about the stance.
The Association of Teachers and Lecturers questioned whether faith schools do provide for "interaction between different faiths and communities".The Association of Teachers and Lecturers questioned whether faith schools do provide for "interaction between different faiths and communities".
The joint statement is being launched at an event on Monday in London, being addressed by the schools secretary, Ed Balls. The joint statement, Faith in the System, was launched in London at an event addressed by the schools secretary, Ed Balls.
'Noble tradition' Under-represented
Representatives will be there from the five faiths in the state sector - Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu, along with children from five of their schools. Representatives were there from the five faiths in the state sector - Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu, along with children from five of their schools.
They will hear that faith organisations have "a long and noble tradition" in education - pre-dating state schools - from medieval times, through the Reformation, to the present day. They heard that faith organisations had "a long and noble tradition" in education - pre-dating state schools - from medieval times, through the Reformation, to the present day.
These days about a third of all maintained schools in England are faith schools - about 6,850 out of some 21,000.These days about a third of all maintained schools in England are faith schools - about 6,850 out of some 21,000.
Of the 47 new academies that have opened so far, 16 have a faith designation.Of the 47 new academies that have opened so far, 16 have a faith designation.
HAVE YOUR SAY All schools should be based on the model of a faith school! Gavin T, Edinburgh Send us your comments
The statement says: "The government recognises that, in relation to the overall size of their populations, there are relatively few faith school places in the maintained sector available to Muslim, Sikh and Hindu children compared to the provision available for Christian and Jewish families."
While there were 376,000 Muslim children aged between five and 15 at the last census, there are only 1,770 pupils in the seven state-funded Muslim schools in England.
But there are 115 independent fee-charging Muslim schools.
'Noble tradition'
The government and faith school providers say they believe all schools - whether religious or not - play a key role in providing a safe environment for interaction between different faiths and communities.The government and faith school providers say they believe all schools - whether religious or not - play a key role in providing a safe environment for interaction between different faiths and communities.
In this way they foster understanding, integration and cohesion, the joint vision statement argues.In this way they foster understanding, integration and cohesion, the joint vision statement argues.
But the Association of Teachers and Lecturers general secretary Mary Bousted said: "We question whether faith schools, particularly those where staff and children are chosen on a faith basis, provide an environment for 'interaction between different faiths and communities'.But the Association of Teachers and Lecturers general secretary Mary Bousted said: "We question whether faith schools, particularly those where staff and children are chosen on a faith basis, provide an environment for 'interaction between different faiths and communities'.
"And we question why schools, in which the majority of funding comes from the state, should, as the government proposes, nurture young people in a particular faith.""And we question why schools, in which the majority of funding comes from the state, should, as the government proposes, nurture young people in a particular faith."
Admissions policies 'Excellent document'
The job of schools was to nurture young people as individuals and as responsible and compassionate global citizens, rather than promoting a particular religious viewpoint, says the union leader. The job of schools was to nurture young people as individuals and as responsible and compassionate global citizens, rather than promoting a particular religious viewpoint, said the union leader.
She added: "Our members believe that we need schools which embrace the diversity within our community, not a diversity of schools dividing pupils and staff on religious grounds." Shadow education minister Nick Gibb said Faith in the System was "an excellent document".
The union also criticised the "restrictive admissions, employment and curriculum practices operated in many of this country's faith schools". Faith schools played an admirable role in providing choice for parents within the state education system, he said.
These were possible "due to preferential legislation which does little to promote equality of provision across the school sector". "Their position needs to be strengthened and modernised in our increasingly multicultural society.
"There is a balance to be struck between the rights of parents to educate their children in a religious manner and the need to promote community cohesion. This paper successfully reconciles these two competing demands."
But Keith Porteous Wood of the National Secular Society said: "Separating children on the basis of religion cannot possibly encourage social cohesion."
Faith schools might be popular, but what people wanted was a good school not a religious school, he said.
"These plans are a betrayal of both pupils and parents who are either non-religious or non-practising, who heavily outnumber those who are practising."