teach1st
08-07-2005, 06:25 AM
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1544143,00.html
Almost half the Government's planned new flagship city schools are sponsored by religious organisations, prompting fears that the programme could become a 'Trojan horse' for radical evangelicals.
The next wave of privately-funded City Academies includes at least one school planning to teach children creationism - the doctrine that the earth was created by God and that the Darwinian model accepted by scientists is therefore wrong.
The popularity of the nationwide academy scheme with other faith-based organisations has alarmed Labour MPs, who fear they may exacerbate religious divides and help evangelicals to target the next generation.
Barry Sheerman, chair of the Commons education select committee, said it was time for a fundamental review of faith in education, particularly the potential role of Muslim-led schools.
'If we are going to not have divided, ghettoised communities we have to be very careful of this enthusiasm that some in the Department for Education have for faith schools,' he said. 'And we have got to be very careful about the growth of very religious minorities getting a hold on academies.'
Education ministers have pledged to create up to 200 City Academies. The scheme involves private sponsors contributing £2 million to the establishment of new state schools, run in partnership with the local education authority. Originally blue chip businesses were expected to back them, but in fact over 40 per cent of the sponsors for the Academies due to open over the next two years are either faith-based charities, Church of England figures or well-known evangelicals.
Read more (http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1544143,00.html)
Almost half the Government's planned new flagship city schools are sponsored by religious organisations, prompting fears that the programme could become a 'Trojan horse' for radical evangelicals.
The next wave of privately-funded City Academies includes at least one school planning to teach children creationism - the doctrine that the earth was created by God and that the Darwinian model accepted by scientists is therefore wrong.
The popularity of the nationwide academy scheme with other faith-based organisations has alarmed Labour MPs, who fear they may exacerbate religious divides and help evangelicals to target the next generation.
Barry Sheerman, chair of the Commons education select committee, said it was time for a fundamental review of faith in education, particularly the potential role of Muslim-led schools.
'If we are going to not have divided, ghettoised communities we have to be very careful of this enthusiasm that some in the Department for Education have for faith schools,' he said. 'And we have got to be very careful about the growth of very religious minorities getting a hold on academies.'
Education ministers have pledged to create up to 200 City Academies. The scheme involves private sponsors contributing £2 million to the establishment of new state schools, run in partnership with the local education authority. Originally blue chip businesses were expected to back them, but in fact over 40 per cent of the sponsors for the Academies due to open over the next two years are either faith-based charities, Church of England figures or well-known evangelicals.
Read more (http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1544143,00.html)