Teachers’ Union says: ‘Faith Schools’ are a Menace to Community Cohesion

A leading teachers’ union has come out strongly against “faith schools” after conducting widespread consultation and research among its 160,000 members. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers has concluded that “faith schools” that discriminate against potential pupils and staff should no longer be allowed state funding.

ATL general secretary, Dr Mary Bousted, said: “We need schools which embrace the diversity within our community, not a diversity of schools dividing pupils and staff on religious grounds. Faith schools must become far more accountable if they are to continue getting the current level of tax-payers money. In a country which is becoming increasingly secular and multi-faith it is hard to justify public taxes being used to fund schools which discriminate against the majority of school children and potential staff on the grounds of their religious belief.

“We acknowledge that some faith schools provide excellent teaching and are well integrated into their local community. However, too many do not and, unless there are some important changes to the way faith schools operate, we fear they will escalate divisions in society rather than help integrate our communities.”

Faith schools currently get grants from the state of up to 90% of the costs of school buildings and 100% of the running costs.

As a result of selective admissions, pupils in faith schools are less likely to be entitled to free school meals, and are more likely to have English as their first language than the national average in schools across England. Many faith schools are allowed to discriminate when they employ staff. Voluntary aided faith schools can stipulate the beliefs of all their employees, and the fully local authority funded voluntary controlled faith schools are allowed to determine the faith of their head teacher. The NSS has been in contact with the ATL in recent months.

ATL is calling for:

The level of school autonomy – over admissions and the curriculum – to depend on the school promoting community cohesion.
No extension of rights to be given to faith schools to refuse to employ staff on the basis of their religious belief.
Faith schools to minimise segregation and promote community cohesion through their admissions, curriculum and employment policies.
Faith and non-faith schools to work more closely together.
More rigorous criteria with regular monitoring and inspection of the religious education (RE), personal, social and health education (PSHE), and citizenship taught in faith schools.

Read the ATL paper here.