They may be wrong, but they are also popular. So goes the refrain about faith schools. So how to explain why in Canada when the Conservatives proposed to introduce religious schools into Ontario it became the main election issue, voters objected strongly leading the Conservatives into a crushing defeat. The Conservatives now describe their faith schools policy as "dead as a doornail". Well, fancy that. 

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Here’s a shocking example of how the policy of handing over community schools to religious organisations and other Blair-inspired experiments have destroyed any hope of meaningful school choice for liberal or progressive parents who don’t wish to send their children to non-selective, non-sectarian or non-fee paying schools.

From Hansard for October 22nd 2006

                Ken Purchase (Wolverhampton North East, Labour) Link to this | Hansard source

"The hon. Gentleman mentioned church schools, which are bedevilling—forgive the pun, which was not intended—education in his constituency. The reason given for establishing academies there is that they will provide more parental choice. My constituency
has three private schools, a girls grammar school, four Church schools,
two foundation schools, a city technology college, Walsall academy, St.
Thomas More Catholic school and a raft of specialist schools. In fact,
the situation has become impossible for a liberal-minded parent who
wants a school for their child that is non-selective, non-sectarian and
non-fee-paying. This is how, in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency,
like mine, the choice agenda has resulted not in a wide liberal choice
for progressives, but in a narrowing down of opportunities, which are
restricted basically to those of a regressive understanding of
education."

Later in the same debate:

                Bob Russell (Colchester, Liberal Democrat) Link to this | Hansard source

"Although I have a Christian upbringing, I am not an Anglican, but come
from good nonconformist stock. I have serious misgivings about two of
Colchester’s local secondary schools being shut down and their
replacement academy handed over to the Chelmsford diocese. If the
diocese wants to have a secondary school to promote Anglican teachings
then let it, like the Brentwood Roman Catholic diocese, organise its
own school in Colchester to serve the whole of north Essex for those
parents who wish to have such a denominational school—not impose itself
on a particular geographic area of the town whose parents may not
necessarily wish to have their children taught under a religious
regime. What parental choice will there be for those in Monkwick and
Shrub End who do not want their children to attend a religious academy?
Will other secondary schools in Colchester have places available to
accept them?"

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Thanks to this cartoon below from Ros Asquith. Who said "secular schools can never be tolerated (because such schools have no religious instruction….all character training and religion
must be derived from faith.”). Answer: Adolf Hitler April 26, 1933. Hitler was no atheist, despite the desperate claims of some Christians. Hitler was a man of faith.  Link to the story that prompted the cartoon.

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Is Northern Ireland turning into the new Kansas? The DUP seems intent on importing the lunacies of the American creationists into British politics and education.

Last night Lisburn council voted  to write to all its grammar and secondary  schools encouraging them to teach alternative theories to evolution like ‘intelligent  design’. The proposal was made by DUP councillors, but opposed by SDLP and Sinn Fein representatives.  DUP head office is briefing that these stunts are in keeping with party policy.

As the Belfast Telegraph reports, this is not the only move in Ulster to undermine the science education of local pupils:

"DUP MP David Simpson (Upper Bann), who is a member of the Free Presbyterian Church, questioned Education Minister Caitriona Ruane on the availability of materials and resources for schools wishing to teach alternative scientific theories to evolution as part of the revised
  curriculum."

"Mr Simpson also asked for an assurance that pupils who answer GCSE examination questions outlining creationist or intelligent design explanations for the development of life on Earth, will not be marked lower than pupils who give answers with an evolutionist explanation."

(Yes, you did read that right, he wants pupils to be able to make up non-scientific answers in science exams and not be "marked lower".)

Of equal concern is the response by the NI education department to the Belfast Telegraph which displays zero concern for the educational welfare of children and maximum accommodation of the anti-science zealots:

"In a statement the Department of Education said the teaching of alternative theories was a matter for schools.

  A spokeswoman said: "The revised curriculum offers scope for schools to explore alternative theories to evolution, which could include creationism, if they so wish."

All of which goes against the recent Council of Europe statement that states that Creationism in any of its forms, such as “intelligent design”, is not
based on facts, does not use any scientific reasoning and its contents
are definitely inappropriate for science classes.

Politicians and the education establishment in Northern Ireland need to do more to defend scientific knowledge or else Ulster will be in danger of becoming known as an educational backwater dominated by religious extremists. The story has already hit the major science blogs in the USA, how long before Louis Theroux will be filming his next show in Lisburn?

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