A couple of weeks ago the Observer blog poked its head round the door of debate over faith-based schools. Today, it turns out, from a poll in the Guardian, that two thirds of people were opposed to increases in the number of religious schools.
Of course, with all poll results it's useful to know what question was asked.
In this case responsdents were asked which of the following statements they agreed with:
1. Faith schools are an important part of our education system and if there are Anglican, Catholic and Jewish state-funded schools there should also be Muslim ones. (25 per cent)
2. Faith schools are an important part of our education system but the government should not be funding Muslim schools. (8 per cent)
3. Schools should be for everyone regardless of religion and the government should not be funding faith schools of any kind. (64 per cent)
4. Don't know/Refused to respond. (4 per cent)
One reason this issue is starting to get a lot of airplay is that, since the London bombings, debate about common British identity that might transcend religious differences has become part of mainstream social and political commentary.
But of the 7,000 faith schools in England, 6,955 are Christian. If there is going to be a change in direction on education through faith-based schools, the debate is going to have to be about more than whether or not Muslim, Jewish or Sikh schools 'ghettoise' certain communities. It is going to have to be about whether or not we need a more rigorous separation of Church and State. Or, even less politically plausible, there could be a debate about the existence of God, on the grounds that, if, as some people claim, religion is largely pre-Enlightenment mumbo-jumbo, why is it not confined to the history syllabus?
Come to think of it, why is the Head of State also head of the Church? (And other difficult questions.)
