Graham Walker reflects on the latest controversy at the Durham Free School, and reflects on the need for inclusive schools across the state sector.
The beautiful city of Durham, where the latest scandal of religion in education arose. Photo: Flickr/mrgarethm
Many will remember the education scandal associated with the so-called ‘Operation Trojan Horse’ in 2014. A letter was given to the authorities which purported to be evidence of a plot by hardline Islamists to replace leadership in Birmingham schools with a high proportion of attendees from Muslim backgrounds, in order to instil a much more religiously conservative ethos and curricula. Though the letter was widely suspected to be as a hoax, it triggered several investigations into 21 different schools in Birmingham.
This triggered at-the-time Education Minister, Michael Gove to demand that we must start teaching ‘British values’. There was much controversy at the time of what constituted British values, and for some these questions have not been satisfactorily answered. In its response to Mr Gove’s consultation, while remaining generally positive towards the proposed requirements, the British Humanist Association (BHA) pointed out that ‘none of the values listed are uniquely British’. It is interesting to reflect with this that David Cameron, also in 2014, called England a ‘Christian country’, which many saw as an archaic view of the country not acknowledging the cultural diversity of the UK, nor the fact that 48% (later that year revised to 51%) of the British population identified as having ‘no religion’.
These points raise serious questions about the role of religion in school. In a multicultural and pluralistic British society, can we identify the country as having one religion? Is it worth stating a religious identity at all? And either way, what does this mean for our education system?
These questions and others like it have become a lot more difficult to answer with Ofsted delivering, on 19 January, one of its worst ever reports to ‘The Durham Free School’: a school with a strong ‘Christian ethos’. The school received inadequate (the worst rating) in all areas covered in the inspection. Many of the inspector’s comments give significant cause for alarm, in relation to schooling generally but also in relation to the role that religion played within the school. In the report we find comments such as:
‘Reviewing the curriculum so that there are appropriate opportunities to teach students about sex and relationships and to promote respect for different faiths, beliefs and values so that they are fully ready to function as young citizens of modern Britain’
‘Governors place too much emphasis on religious credentials when they are recruiting key staff and not enough on seeking candidates with excellent leadership and teaching skills’
‘The religious studies curriculum was too narrow and did not give students enough opportunities to learn about different faiths and beliefs. Consequently, students’ understanding of different faiths and beliefs is sketchy with some holding prejudiced views which are not challenged.’
It is clear that the school’s management and teaching staff, and the governors have all, to some extent, allowed their own personal religious beliefs to negatively impact on the opportunity for the pupils of this school to receive an adequate education; a very sad state of affairs.
With two serious incidents in education from schools where religious values are put before teaching the role of religious schools within Britain has to be called in to question.
Hardly anyone should be saying that schools should be wholly secular, with no religious education; this is not a way to foster understanding and compassion for people and their beliefs. The BHA, which was pivotal in supporting whistleblowers to blow the lid on what was going on at the school at the centre of the ‘Trojan Horse’ scandal, argues for a comprehensive, broad-based religious education system which teaches about religious and non-religious views such as Humanism side-by-side. Religion should not, however, dominate the school’s management structure, nor should it compromise the quality of education in things like sex education and biology.
America has always believed, constitutionally, in the firm separation of church and state, and while Britain has never enjoyed this same state secularism, there has always been a healthy scepticism from the public at attempts to politicise religion, or crusade politically on a religious basis. Schools are a bedrock of any healthy society, and so reasonably they should fall under the same dictum that religion does not have a place within the governance of our schooling systems.
Graham Walker is a student and blogger. Graham has studied psychology and cognitive behavioural therapy, and is currently studying for an MSc in occupational therapy. He blogs on various issues that he feels are important. You can follow him on Twitter at @think_damn_it.
If taught at all, religion should be part of a larger subject, perhaps called philosophy (or sociology). Pupils should learn what people believe and why they believe it and be exposed to all major faiths, but indoctrination has no place in the schoolroom.
It would be taught as history if I had overall say!
the class should be mythology.
the old gods become the new devils.
mythology would be good places for religions, after all Zeus, Odin, Shiva, Quetzalcoatl, Jesus, Mohammed, Satan, Hades, Apollo, Anubis, Osiris, Horus, Marduk, Nergal, Ishtar, Baal, Baphomet, Heracles, Odysseus etc.. all the same really. Even if based to coincide with real historical events and real people, the events and stories are as mythical and fantastic as Homer’s Iliad/Odyssey. *Put Buddhism into philosophy
If it is to be taught at all, it must be taught critically. The Bible is so flawed, it is virtually useless as a guide to life in the 21st Century. I suspect other ‘holy’ books are equally flawed
True, the Bible has so many contradictions as well as being flawed, I found it so difficult to read and understand that I ‘gave up’ reading it.
I do not think that children should be lied to at all, except, perhaps, gentle and meaningless Father Christmasses and Tooth Fairies. So I object to any religion being taught as a ‘faith’. If it is taught at all, then it should be from a historical perspective rather than indoctrination, and should be a balanced and truthful reporting on various religions misconceptions and evil constructs.
Certainly no school teaching religion as a faith should get any state funding.
Agreed. It is crazy to allow so called “faith schools” as these are a licence to indoctrinate and radicalise children.
In South Africa during Apartheid, the Broederbond, which was the organisation that determined Afrikaner policy, had a deliberate strategy of ensuring that the headmasters of ALL government schools were members of the Broederbond. This was to ensure that indoctrination was comprehensive, particularly as far as racial segregation issues and so called “Christian Nationalism” were concerned. (see “The Super Afrikaners” by Serfontein et al).
Religions developed in societies where power was concentrated in the hands of an elite and the great mass of the population had little control over their lives. It gave answers to questions for which there was not yet any other satisfactory explanation.
In the last few centuries, humanity has made discoveries about the universe that have pushed earlier beliefs into an ever smaller corner. Crucially the link between morality and the workings of nature – at every level – has been comprehensively broken.
The history of humankind is a continuing process of discovery and in many areas the accepted wisdom of today might well be proved in the future to be wrong or incomplete. We should not demean earlier beliefs, except insofar as that people cling to them in the face of overwhelming evidence. They are however a fascinating subject to study, showing us how it was that we came to be where we now are.
Religious education should become a subject that deals compassionately and comparatively with these earlier belief systems, shows how they have informed our societal morality and ethics but does not impose any continuing doctrine. Such a curriculum would also serve a very important purpose in teaching a respectful attitude towards those who had no better explanation available as to how the universe works. It would also engender a degree of humility in the face of the possibility that some of our current beliefs about the nature of our existence might themselves be proved wrong in the future.
This is not to suggest that there might be a God after all. It is just that there are some very big questions still to be answered and the potential for us to find some surprising and troubling answers to those questions is very great indeed.
A few years ago I was surprised to discover that Australian government primary schools set aside some time every week to teach ‘scripture’ classes. These are led by a person of the relevant faith. There are separate sessions for Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, etc. Children not wishing to participate in this can attend ‘non-scripture’, which could mean sitting quietly in the library, catching up with homework, or whatever else the school provides for that period.
Thankfully in Sydney we now have the ‘ethics’ option, taught by volunteers – typically parents – of which I am one. This is in line with Mr Gove’s call for the teaching of values. Some topics we have covered in Year 6 (ages 11-12) are ‘Is it okay to eat whales?’, ‘Drugs in sport’ and ‘Voting’. We’re not teaching “this is right and this is wrong” as “how do you decide – and then express – what’s right and wrong?”
I see religion as a combination of the supernatural and the ethical. We’re just preserving the ‘good bits’. We’re educating the next generation of leaders. Without ethics – sound values, if you like – none of us can claim to be civilized. It’s more than just obeying the laws of the land. It’s about living harmoniously with others.
One difficulty in England is that the head of state is also the nominal head of the Church of England. Perhaps that’s why Mr Cameron has to take the Christian path. In theory, the Queen is also our head of state, but perhaps the distance gives us a little more leeway in the matter.
See http://www.primaryethics.com.au if you’d like more information.
“America has always believed, constitutionally, in the firm separation of church and state, and while Britain has never enjoyed this same state secularism, there has always been a healthy skepticism from the public at attempts to politicize religion, or crusade politically on a religious basis.” It is interesting to see that as of late several states have fallen short of this belief of separation of state and church Not just with education and in schools: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/03/recordings-expose-texas-high-school-principals-daily-bible-verse-announcements-to-students/
, but also in religious freedoms in law. such as refusal of serving gay people in shops because the proprietor’s religion is against homosexuality: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/06/us/anticipating-nationwide-right-to-same-sex-marriage-states-weigh-religious-exemption-bills.html?_r=0
Hello,
Thank you to everyone who read and commented on my blog. I hope you have enjoyed it. I have certainly enjoyed reading your interesting and insightful comments!
Thanks
Graham
Religion should only be examined in schools so as to learn from the mistakes, along with other mental aberrations, such as holocausts, inquisitions, jihads, dictatorships.