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Supporter comments
Page 2 of 2: Three in ten families across England live in areas where most or all of the closest primary schools are faith schools and thousands are being assigned faith schools against their wishes.
Parents' perspectives on the Choice Delusion
Displaying 51 to 56 of 56
As a British born Sikh, the first time I felt excluded by society was when applying for primary schools. Despite having faith and regularly attending our local temple, my children were excluded from a primary school that we meet the distance criteria for. This segregation adds to the modern racism, prejudice, and discrimination in our workplaces.
"I was gobsmacked and outraged when they told me I didn't get any of my six chosen choices of schools… I didn't want her to go to a Hindu school so I am surprised the council would think I would accept a faith school which I didn't even apply for."
My wife and I are strictly secular, when it was time to send my child to school in the rural West Midlands it was impossible to find a non-faith-based school in our area. He is constantly being educated to believe what the school want him to not being left to make his own, informed choice.
"I went to Church of England schools all my life, meaning I was forced to go to church. Religion should only be through choice not indoctrination. I knew I didn't believe from a young age and was still forced to go by older people up to the age of 15!"
"My son has to go to a local RC school because of SENS needs - his timetable includes five periods of RE every two weeks. This is more than any other subject and is straight up evangelising. Education should be secular, faith schools severely limit the choice of pupils especially in areas like mine which is a grammar area."
"Faith schools leave non-religious parents with a difficult choice. Too frequently you have to either send your child to a school miles away from your home, or send them to your local faith school and have them be educated about things you do not believe in. I went to church as a child, my mother is a church warden, I understand some of the moral advantages of Christian teaching. I just don't want it in my children's schools. Religion belongs in a church, or place of worship."
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Are you locked out of your local school based on religion? Have you been assigned a faith school against your wishes? Are faith schools your only option?
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