Comments on: Education Secretary Gove says he’s not averse to atheist schools in the UK

By: Mike Daniels

Mike Daniels — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:46:25 +0000

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 . . .

By: Roxane

Roxane — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:41:41 +0000

Umm–does anybody else think this Uganda outfit might be worth donating to?

By: barriejohn

barriejohn — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:24:33 +0000

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?

By: barriejohn

barriejohn — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:58:38 +0000

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!

By: barriejohn

barriejohn — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:51:55 +0000

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!

By: Graham Martin-Royle

Graham Martin-Royle — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:56:28 +0000

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.

By: Don

Don — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:11:57 +0000

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.

By: FedupwithR

FedupwithR — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:51:24 +0000

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?

By: Tom Rees

Tom Rees — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:56:14 +0000

I don’t want my children segregated from their friends who have parents that believe in god. That would be awful!

By: Arnold Lane

Arnold Lane — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:00:56 +0000

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.