ANSWERING questions from MPs on the Commons education select committee today, Michael Gove said:
One of the most striking things that I read recently was a thought from Richard Dawkins that he might want to take advantage of our education legislation to open a new school, which was set up on an explicitly atheist basis.
Education Secretary Michael Gove
Prof Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, did not, in fact, say he wanted a specifically atheist school.
In June, Prof Dawkins said in a conversation on the Mumsnet website:
I like the idea very much, although I would prefer to call it a free-thinking free school. I would never want to indoctrinate children in atheism, any more than in religion. Instead, children should be taught to ask for evidence, to be sceptical, critical, open-minded.
Under Mr Gove’s “free schools” plan, parents, teachers and others will be able to set up their own schools.
According to the BBC, Gove said he would not choose such a school for his children, but:
One of the principles behind our education reforms is to give people the maximum amount of choice so that those people, and they may not themselves necessarily have a very strong religious faith, but who believe that the ethos and values of faith-based education are right for their child, have that choice but others who want a different approach can take it as well.
Coincidentally, we have just been contacted by Bwambale Robert, founder and Director of the Kasese United Humanist Association in Uganda, which last year established the Kilembe Valley Humanist Nursery & Primary School, the first secular school in the Kasese district.
With a curriculum based on humanism and science, the fledging school is being run alongside a public library, also set up by the association, and Bwambale Robert is appealing to freethinkers across the globe to donate books, magazines, periodicals, scientific journals etc to support both projects.
Books needed for the school should suit young people aged below 13 years on subjects such as English, science, arts & crafts, geography, mathematics, and free thought.
Atheist Alliance International is supporting the school by providing volunteer teachers for a period of three months, beginning in September.
If you are able to help, please send your donations to the Kasese United Humanist Association Plot 31, Matebere Road, Kiteso Upper, PO Box 58
Kasese, Uganda, East Africa.
Hat tip BarrieJohn (BBC report)
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
July 29th, 2010 at 12:09 am
These politicians and academics inhabit a little dream world. For the vast majority of people in this country the concept of “choice” in education, as in health care, remains pure fantasy!
July 29th, 2010 at 12:46 am
All schools should be free-thought schools. There is no place for religion in education other than in history lessons where it can be mentioned in context.
July 29th, 2010 at 12:50 am
The major faiths blaspheme one another? For Christians, Muslims are followers of false prophets, and for Muslims, Christians refuse to recognize the teachings of Mohamed . They went to war with one another repeatedly and bloodily for centuries Now – for the time being – they sit at the government’s table side by side, their hands stretched out for our tax money for their faith-based schools.
Following the example of Northern Ireland where this exact-same policy fostered mutual hostility and even murder. Is community cohesion to be achieved by separating children.
July 29th, 2010 at 2:14 am
I have a huge rant on “big society” too long to detail here. Suffice to say, when rich people tell you that theyre going to make it so that those elites don’t get to boss around joe public, it means they’re pulling out of stuff. The other trick is the fake participation then throw your own plan in.
Govt: “Hey public, we’re all pretty cool guys, what laws do you think we should get rid of to make a better society.”
Public: “Well maybe you could sta-”
Govt: “Yeah, yeah, cool. Since we’re in agreement that we need less, lets cut industry regulation. What a great idea we all had, thanks for the chat!”
Dawkins: “Children should be taught to ask for evidence, to be sceptical, critical, open-minded.”
Govt: “Now we’re talking, atheist schools!”
Dawkins: “No, wait thats what normal schools should be li-”
Govt: “All religious beliefs should be catered for, we need to help make fundie schools!”
July 29th, 2010 at 4:19 am
You know, it sounds a bit like the old, tried, and failed “separate but equal” bullshit. Separate institutions are inherently unequal. It took us almost 100 years after the nominal end of slavery to end the practice of state-sponsored segregation. Of course, to hear many of the right-wing mouthpieces today, it’s obvious that segregation was so much better, because EVERYONE knows the good ol’ days were always better and that progress has never done anything for anyone.
July 29th, 2010 at 4:50 am
All schools should be secular. As many peopoe have noted no child is christian, muslim, catholic or protestant and no parent has the right to indoctrinate their children with superstition especially when they are asking the government to help fund the bill.
July 29th, 2010 at 9:00 am
I’m not sure what an “atheist” school is supposed to be. Schools should be secular and inclusive. Children should be taught skepticism and critical thinking, not merely disbelief.
Faith schools are a bad idea. I think society is creating a huge rod for our backs promoting sectarianism in this way.
July 29th, 2010 at 9:56 am
I don’t want my children segregated from their friends who have parents that believe in god. That would be awful!
July 29th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Humanism is inclusive
Religion is exclusive.
A secular, all inclusive school, is much better for society and humanity in the long run. Religious schools and many private schools, encourage religious and class divisions which are more than likely to create future social disorder.
Can a society like Britain, which already has a big class divide, afford to encourage all these different belief systems without the risk of creating problems for future generations?
July 29th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
Apart from extreme cases which cause demonstrable harm we can’t stop people indoctrinating their children with whatever religious beliefs they are afflicted with.
But for a small fraction of their time children are meant to be educated about reality. Maths, languages, science, music, stuff like that. For those few hours is it too much to ask that religion just stay away?
Stupid question, I guess.
July 29th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Typical. Even politicians like to misquote Prof. Dawkins just to get a good headline. He says he wants schools to teach critical thinking, politico’s say he wants an atheist school.
As others have already said, all schools should be secular and teach about religion, letting kids think for themselves and teaching them how.
July 29th, 2010 at 5:51 pm
The idea that Richard Dawkins might have been interested in setting up an atheist “free school” seems, as Barry intimates, to have come solely from the Mumsnet site referred to in this Guardian article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comm.....ist-school
This appears to have been the suggestion of one of the posters, and not his!
July 29th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
Said Mumsnet site:
http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mu.....agingOff=1
I still don’t like the idea of a “freethinking school” – as others have rightly said, all schools should be like that!
July 29th, 2010 at 7:24 pm
People don’t even want all this bogus “choice” which the politicos keep banging on about! Where did they get the idea from? In both health and education people want excellent local facilities which will benefit all, regardless of intelligence or income. Is that too difficult a concept to grasp?
July 30th, 2010 at 1:41 am
Umm–does anybody else think this Uganda outfit might be worth donating to?
July 30th, 2010 at 11:46 pm
Wish I had an “atheist school” to go to when I was growing up! But a “freethinking school” would definitely be even better.
It would be great if the Ugandan school were legit. I wonder if anyone has researched it to find out whether it’s for real . . .