No more faith schools

This group has a growing following in UK. Is this the way forward?

No More Faith Schools is a national campaign coordinated by the National Secular Society and with supporters from a broad social, political and religious spectrum. We're dedicated to an end to state funded faith schools. We would like all schools to have an inclusive community ethos, free from any religious discrimination, privilege or control.

We help people challenge new faith schools, particularly where they have discriminatory admissions rules and where there are proposals for inclusive alternatives.

The US has been going the wrong direction on this issue for decades now, I fear.

Despite the latest Pew Research data that shows marked declines in religious identification, taxpayer-funded public subsidies of sectarian schools have increased, and I'm pretty sure that the Trump regime has announced more to come.

>2 paradoxosalpha: Interesting .. .. ..

Do parents (voters?) have the right to demand the government does not force their children to have religious instruction along with compulsory education?

>4 Novak:

In theory, yes. In fact, home schooling is on the rise with varying motivation from both secular left-libertarian types and theocratic domestic tyrannies. (Decay of infrastructure and public services also contributes to the trend.) "Prayer in school" is a shibboleth of the religious right in the US, who often trace civic degeneration to the Supreme Court decision that banned prescribed student prayer. I don't doubt that there are still small communities where that SC ruling has never been put into practice.

It appears that the UK government (https://www.nomorefaithschools.org/#grp-182043) actually funds schools that are able to, quite legally, refuse access to pupils and teachers unless they have a particular religious belief specified by the school. (And therefore, the state)
Would this be possible in USA?

I believe that the Federally funded "faith-based initiatives" and voucher-based "school choice" systems for public schools in some states have made public funding of sectarian schools possible in the US. If they haven't done so yet, they are certainly trying to do so.

>5 paradoxosalpha: Thank you for post No:5. Studied every word, took hours, fascinating and could fuel a whole new debate here.

One thing I picked up on: Speaking from the conservative Protestant perspective, the Reverend Dr. Billy Graham said, "in my opinion ... the Supreme Court ... is wrong. ... Eighty percent of the American people want Bible reading and prayer in the schools.

Very interesting! How many of that 80% are the kids who are forced to sit through it all?

Yeah, and that 80% number, even if were true when advanced as opinion by "the Reverend Doctor," is certainly not true now! See the Pew Research data I cited at the top of the thread: https://www.pewforum.org/2019/10/17/in-u-s-decline-of-christianity-continues-at-...

I'd say 80% of "conservative Protestants" may want bible study and prayer in "the schools," but they are a dwindling 30% or so of the US population. (I'm allowing that they represent a majority of the declining 43% Protestant segment.)

I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute – where no Catholic prelate would tell the President (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote – where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference – and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President who might appoint him or the people who might elect him. JFK

My underlining.

>10 Novak: Alastair Campbell (1), one of Tony Blair's spin doctors, and admittedly a bit of a Marmite character, boiled JFK's sentiments down to four words:

"We don't do god".

>11 Cynfelyn: "We don't do god".

We now have well over 50% of our nation saying the same thing. Where will we find representatives with JFKs courage?

One small step .. .. ..

A Church of England multi-academy trust has said it will provide an inclusive alternative assembly for pupils withdrawn from Christian collective worship after two parents launched a legal challenge.

The Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust (ODST) has reached a settlement with Lee and Lizanne Harris after they argued that assemblies at Burford Primary School breached their human rights.

During the assemblies children were encouraged to participate in prayer and biblical stories such as the crucifixion were acted out. Burford primary is not a faith school, despite the fact it is part of a C of E trust.

The latest advice to government before the election?
"The state has absolutely no business mandating schools to conduct worship, and schools have absolutely no business directing students to pray".

Things may look different on your side of the Atlantic, but I do think that a healthy society should have room for some sectarian schooling. I understand how religious minorities might want distinctive private schools where their students can pray, and I think the practice leads to a healthy diversity in the larger society. But certainly, no sect or religion should be able to use publicly-funded school programs to proselytize or promote conformity to their creed.

>10 Novak: >15 paradoxosalpha: Agreed. If church and state are separate I don't know why my tax dollars are going to vouchers for secular education, especially since our public schools are already underfunded.

Well, it looks like some steps are being taken in the right direction.

https://www.richarddawkins.net/join/"

Their letter today to government stating they do not want public $ millions spent on private (religious) schools is very hard hitting. Watch this space.