Why we need Faithless Academies...

This report into the views of the British public regarding evolution is, in some ways, quite worrying, especially the fact that people over 55 are more likely to believe in evolution than those under 25. The fact that 22% of the British public believe that creationism is the best way to describe the way in which the world was created is especialy worrying when one considers how few of those people are actually committed Christians who attend church, although we should not overlook the possibility that they may be of other religions, not just Christianity...

When neither the right not the left agrees with you...

"The 1944 and 1965 reorganisations sought to break the dominance of religion and class over public-sector schooling in Britain. To a large extent they succeeded. Ever since, religion and class have been fighting their way back. Blair and Adonis are their latest champions. This is archaic." Simon Jenkins, ex-editor of The Times and The Evening Standard, in this article

They're Not Even Any Good

There has been muchcriticism of the performance in 'academy schools' over the last few days. Results at Bexley Business Academy slumped last year, with 5% fewer pupils getting 5 GCSEs than had the year before.

One of Number 10's advisers on education, Sir Peter Lampl, has produced a report suggesting that trust schools risk deepening social divisions and excluding children from poor families. As they undoubtedly will and do.

Satanist Academies

The idea of Faithless Academies is to encourage secular, raional schooling, to use the faith groups' legislation against them. However, another important aim is to draw attention to the problems with Faith and City Academies. Would Satanist Academies be better at this?

Any ideas, as ever, would be gratefully received...

Not that we needed them, but...

Here are yet more reasons for those of us who think of ourselves as socialists to oppose academies. The thrust of this site is about the privatisation of education, with faith and other business organisations having an effect on what children are taught. However, there are other issues, like selection, and that of the treatment of teachers, as highlighted below...

Essentially, a hude ideological experiment with our children is being undertaken with the support of faith groups and businesses. Setting up secular academies may be the only way to fight certain forms of fire, if the government is determined to press ahead.

Not Even the Pope...

Even the Vatican accepts that 'intelligent design' is not science, according to this article from CBS News. Let's get this straight: this is the denomination of the Church responsible for the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition; it is devoted the continued spread of AIDS throughout the developing world; and its head is an ex-member of the Hitler Youth; and yet it is actually making more humane and rational statements than many others?

If nothing else this shows just how insane American fundamentalists have become. When the Catholic Church denounces you as extremist weirdoes, it's probably time to re-examine your belief system...