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British Teachers Union Proposes Single System of Multi-Faith Schools

By Howard Friedman

Britan's National Union of Teachers meeting at its 2008 Annual Conference has proposed a dramatic restructuring of the British school system that would eliminate separate state-supported faith schools and replace them with a single school system that would offer children a choice of religious instruction in any of a number of faiths, or a choice of no religious instruction. Separate prayer facilities for each faith would be made available inside schools. Holiday observances and religious jewelry and headscarves would be accommodated. Today's London Guardian and the Daily Express report that under the plan, all schools would become practicing multi-faith institutions. Preferential admissions to any school on the basis of belief would be eliminated.

The plan was developed after research indicated that faith schools were creating social, ethnic and religious segregation. Opposition to the proposal immediately surfaced from Conservative Party MP's, secularists and the Church of England. Muslim and Jewish spokesmen had a mixed response.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on March 25, 2008 (boomark / email).