Refreshing approach to the hoary old chestnut of faith schools

Joe Otten has written an extremely sensible and fair opinion on faith and schools, on Liberal Democrat Voice under the title of "The issue is not faith schools but freedom of conscience". I thoroughly recommend the article for reading, inwardly digesting, copying bits out and pinning them on the wall etc. I have already nominated it for this week's "Golden Dozen".

There have been hundreds of "comment battles" on LibDem Voice about faith schools which have boiled down to "Is there a God?" or "You can't believe it God, you daft numpty" - essentially. Joe is right to refocus our attention on the right to a faith, and indeed no faith, and how that right should fairly and liberally interact with society in respect to education. Joe's approach is extremely refreshing.

Looking at the comments below Joe's article, as usual, what seems to be "marmalised" in these debates is the essential fact that there are several categories of "faith schools".

The category of which I have most, although possibly out-of-date, knowledge is Church of England schools. Following the recommendations of the Dearing report, the Church of England has a policy of not "bussing in" students to fill their school with "faithful Christians". The student composition reflects the local population. Indeed, one Church of England in the North of England has 90% Muslim pupils.

There should not be selection based on "declared religion" and I agree with Joe's advocacy of parallel provision for worship if there is a significant student population in the school which does not hold the main faith of that school. Indeed, I think this policy should extend to declared atheists.

All in all, I agree with Dr Evan Harris' proposed bill of a few years ago (2004 or early 2005 I think) which proposed an end to inequalities in the faith school system. I note that the Bill was even supported by David Trimble.