Letters | 30 October 2010

God and taxes


Sir: I was surprised that we won the advance vote in the Spectator debate over faith schools (‘Taxpayers’ money should not fund faith schools’, 13 October). Ten years ago we would have lost it resoundingly, and it demonstrates the massive change in attitude over the last decade.

I suspect this is partly because of the Bradford riots and the subsequent report on how the school system was one factor exacerbating the ‘parallel lives’ many there were leading. This was reinforced by the 7/7 London bombings; and even though none of the terrorists attended a faith school, the attack highlighted the dangers of religious extremism and sparked concern over institutions that promoted a segregated society. Evidence of how some faith schools are selecting pupils on academic grounds has brought them further into disrepute.

It makes it even more surprising that the government has just lifted controls on the curriculum of schools operating under the academy or free schools system, many of which are faith schools, and is also relaxing inspection of whether such schools are promoting social cohesion.