Head ousted for scrapping Muslim assembly

[mids]

;D

[dwad]

I can see why people don't like the idea of religious assemblies, but I think all schools have/need an ethos and there are huge numbers of none Christians that send their kids to Christian schools precisely because they agree with the ethos. I think it's perfectly fair for parents to have that choice. There are other issues around if you have no choice etc but I think scrapping all religion in all schools is cutting off your nose to spite your face.

[VikingHumpingWitch]

If the "ethos" to which you refer is taking kids from nice well-heeled families and not the ones who look like their parents might be a bit poor and prone to difficulties and unlikely to motivate with school work then yes, absolutely.

[dwad]

Feb 11, 2009 10:11:21 GMT VikingHumpingWitch said:

If the "ethos" to which you refer is taking kids from nice well-heeled families and not the ones who look like their parents might be a bit poor and prone to difficulties and unlikely to motivate with school work then yes, absolutely.

But that's an issue about selection, not choice.

[VikingHumpingWitch]

Quite. I just want to point out that superior academic performance often seen in Church schools does not have anything to do with God. Unless your god is Mammon.

[dwad]

We have a huge number of mum's who bring their toddlers to our church for a coulpe of years to get them into the local school and then disappear. There is a part of me that thinks that showing that kind of commitment to your child's education deserves some kind of reward. There's no way on earth I'd go to a mosque for two years to get my kid into a good school.

[VikingHumpingWitch]

It's a bloody disgrace that you have to haul yourself off to listen to fairy tales once a week for literally years just to get your kid into a decent school. Surely we could make some use out of this, let them clean graffiti for an hour a week for two years instead and anyone who has made that commitment can send their kid to a good school.

[bertrus2]

One question is why there should be religious worship in non-religious schools funded by the taxpayer. The question about church schools funded by the taxpayer is different. They have religious worship because the school imposes it. The question is why they are allowed to select pupils and teachers on religious grounds at taxpayer expense.

[moggyonspeed]

"Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?"

- Douglas Adams

[dwad]

Feb 11, 2009 16:11:35 GMT bertrus2 said:

One question is why there should be religious worship in non-religious schools funded by the taxpayer. The question about church schools funded by the taxpayer is different. They have religious worship because the school imposes it. The question is why they are allowed to select pupils and teachers on religious grounds at taxpayer expense.

I suppose the answer to both is that enough of the taxpayers want it.

[dwad]

Feb 11, 2009 16:19:17 GMT moggyonspeed said:

"Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?"

- Douglas Adams

Soundbites like this are so gay. It's the kind of thing that gets Dawkins nodding and smiling but you could equally say it's not enough to see a beautiful garden and ignore the gardeners hard work. Both are sh*t soundbites.

[bertrus2]

I suppose the answer to both is that enough of the taxpayers want it.

There's an eccentric idea. Governments do what the electorate wants

[bertrus2]

it's not enough to see a beautiful garden and ignore the gardeners hard work.

And you have teensy fairies to do your gardening

[dwad]

Feb 11, 2009 16:29:26 GMT bertrus2 said:

it's not enough to see a beautiful garden and ignore the gardeners hard work.

And you have teensy fairies to do your gardening

No idea. It's just a spectacularly poor analogy as gardens are always gardened. It implies God rather than denies it.

[VikingHumpingWitch]

I think the point is to say that life is amazing, you don't have to believe it was magicked up by a deity to appreciate it.

[dwad]

Feb 11, 2009 16:36:38 GMT VikingHumpingWitch said:

I think the point is to say that life is amazing, you don't have to believe it was magicked up by a deity to appreciate it.

Which is far more succinct than the oft-quoted Adams sounbite.

[bertrus2]

gardens are always gardened. It implies God rather than denies it.

So, you gave no credit to the fairies and have a god for your gardener. Actually, the fairies, as far as I know don't do gardening. They just hang out. Which non-existent god are you claiming is hanging around in your garden? Ganesh? Hanuman?

[dwad]

Feb 11, 2009 16:44:52 GMT bertrus2 said:

gardens are always gardened. It implies God rather than denies it.

So, you gave no credit to the fairies and have a god for your gardener. Actually, the fairies, as far as I know don't do gardening. They just hang out. Which non-existent god are you claiming is hanging around in your garden? Ganesh? Hanuman?

Could have been the fairies, could have been an old man named Amos. Just pointing out it's a crap analogy. Can something non-existant hang around?

[bertrus2]

Which is far more succinct than the oft-quoted Adams sounbite.

Not more succinct. It's an explanation for a literal-minded clot.

[bertrus2]

Can something non-existant hang around?

Of course. The fairies do. Anything the fairies do, Ganesh can do, less delicately, no doubt.