Who's Afraid of Catholic Schools?

Since it’s Pope Day, let’s consider this tediously-hardy perennial too. Commenting on this post, Fifer asks:

Since you’ve given this some thought, then, perhaps you can answer me this – why, exactly, are my taxes being used to fund an education system divided in Scotland on sectarian lines when, out of a population of 5 million, only 65,000 can be bothered turning up to see the head of their faith preach? Even Celtic can manage that turnout a few times a year.

If we really are in the dire financial straits we’re told we are, perhaps it really is time to “think of the children” and educate them all as best we possibly can for the money available, rather than perpetuating massive structural inefficiencies as a sop to an increasingly irrelevant religion.

It’s a question of priorities and, consequently, of values. I think school choice is a virtue in and of itself and that it should not be restricted to the wealthy (whether that’s measured by school fees or higher house prices in attractive catchment areas).