Faith schools bill to face House of Lords challenge
-11/10/06
Former Secretary of State
Faith schools bill to face House of Lords challenge
-11/10/06
Former Secretary of State for education Kenneth Baker is to make a bid to require all faith schools to open their doors to pupils of other faiths and of none.
The move follows the announcement by the Church of England that it intended to introduce such a plan voluntarily for new schools.
Many Church of England schools currently discriminate in their admissions policies, in favour of children of parents who attend churches connected to the schools. A survey in 2004 found that more than a quarter of parents were willing to lie, including about their faith, to get their children into good schools. Some said that the move by the Church of England to open up 25% of its places in new schools to equal admissions, fell dismally short of what was needed.
The Church of England also itself warned that other faith schools might not follow its example.
But Conservative Peer, Lord Baker of Dorking, said that he would be tabling an amendment to the Government’s Education Bill when it comes before the House of Lords.
Under his proposal churches and other faith groups would be required to give priority to pupils from outside their faith for a quarter of the places in any new schools they open.
“It is an inclusive agenda. The Church of England supports it, the Government thinks it is right but just won’t legislate on it which I think is a mistake,” Lord Baker told the BBC1 Politics Show.
“I think our society will be much happier and more integrated and more understanding and more tolerant if you have those sorts of schools rather than exclusive faith schools.”
Tory leader David Cameron welcomed the Church of England move in his speech last week to the Conservative Tory Party conference in Bournemouth and urged other faiths to follow suit.
However shadow education secretary David Willetts said that they would not be supporting the measure, although he suggested that Conservative peers could be given a free vote.
“We will not be backing Ken Baker’s amendment. It could be something therefore on which we abstain but, given the personal issues of conscience in it, it could well be something for a free vote.”
He said that in the case of Muslim schools in particular, there was scope for improving community relations by taking non-Muslim pupils.
Former Health Secretary Frank Dobson is amongst those who have previously attempted to end the discriminatory policies employed by church schools, but without success.
Faith schools bill to face House of Lords challenge
-11/10/06
Former Secretary of State for education Kenneth Baker is to make a bid to require all faith schools to open their doors to pupils of other faiths and of none.
The move follows the announcement by the Church of England that it intended to introduce such a plan voluntarily for new schools.
Many Church of England schools currently discriminate in their admissions policies, in favour of children of parents who attend churches connected to the schools. A survey in 2004 found that more than a quarter of parents were willing to lie, including about their faith, to get their children into good schools. Some said that the move by the Church of England to open up 25% of its places in new schools to equal admissions, fell dismally short of what was needed.
The Church of England also itself warned that other faith schools might not follow its example.
But Conservative Peer, Lord Baker of Dorking, said that he would be tabling an amendment to the Government’s Education Bill when it comes before the House of Lords.
Under his proposal churches and other faith groups would be required to give priority to pupils from outside their faith for a quarter of the places in any new schools they open.
“It is an inclusive agenda. The Church of England supports it, the Government thinks it is right but just won’t legislate on it which I think is a mistake,” Lord Baker told the BBC1 Politics Show.
“I think our society will be much happier and more integrated and more understanding and more tolerant if you have those sorts of schools rather than exclusive faith schools.”
Tory leader David Cameron welcomed the Church of England move in his speech last week to the Conservative Tory Party conference in Bournemouth and urged other faiths to follow suit.
However shadow education secretary David Willetts said that they would not be supporting the measure, although he suggested that Conservative peers could be given a free vote.
“We will not be backing Ken Baker’s amendment. It could be something therefore on which we abstain but, given the personal issues of conscience in it, it could well be something for a free vote.”
He said that in the case of Muslim schools in particular, there was scope for improving community relations by taking non-Muslim pupils.
Former Health Secretary Frank Dobson is amongst those who have previously attempted to end the discriminatory policies employed by church schools, but without success.