Balham school must change admissions policy after parent's complaint Post Reply

[Annabel (admin)]

A Balham primary school must amend its admissions policy after a parent complained about being asked to provide details of the attendance of both ‘mother’ and father’ at worship.

A parent objected to questions at the application stage for Holy Ghost Catholic Primary School, which asked “details about ‘mother’s / guardian’s and father’s / guardian’s’ attendance at worship”.

He alleged that it was ‘discriminatory in respect of separated, step or gay parents’.

The school, in Calbourne Road, argued together with Wandsworth Council that only one parent was necessary to fill in the form.



http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/new ... f=mr&lp=18

[dudette]

I'd argue it's also discriminatory against people who aren't Catholics...

[cuqui03]

The picture is not of the school.

[Motherslittlehelper]

I don’t understand why it can’t have its own admissions policy, If they are successful then let the school continue with its successful policies. this is a question not a statement!

I do wonder if the authorities would challenge them if it was a muslim school though

(Edited to correct spelling!)

[atbattersea]

I don’t understand why it can’t have its own admissions policy, If they are successful then let the school continue with its successful policies. this is a question not a statement!

I do wonder if the authorities would challenge them if it was a muslin school though

Because it is a service funded by the state and it should be neutral with regard to discriminating against children because of the faith, or lack of, of parents.

How about we have some catholic only parks or swimming pools, or even rubbish collection?

[parsleysong]

I suspect this person had a dishonest motive, considering that the article says that only one parent was required to sign so there was no issue to begin with. As with any other school in London, you'd assume they have pupils who are children of single-parent families.

[Bbkl]

I do wonder if the authorities would challenge them if it was a muslin school though

A school made out of muslin? I hope health and safety would be down there pronto

[Motherslittlehelper]

Maybe saves on the build costs though !

[atbattersea]

I do wonder if the authorities would challenge them if it was a muslim school though

Why do you think it would be any different? There was a recently reported case of Ofsted taking action against an Islamic school for teaching boys and girls separately.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bi ... m-41609861

[atbattersea]

FGM has only recently moved out of the " let's not interfere with cultural practices" bracket only thanks t lobbying from females who have suffered and some politicians who have common sense to recognise it as abuse.
So it's a fair comment by the other poster in my opinion.

FGM has been illegal in the UK since 1985, and since 2003 anyone taking a child out of the UK to be cut faces 14 years in prison.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... -common-uk

That seems quite a long way from 'recently' to me.

I'm not an apologist for religion, or 'cultural practices', in fact I'm an atheist and would personally like to see the law changed to be stricter with regard to FGM, in that parents face criminal liability for not protecting their children from such harmful practices - however that comes about.

But, the problem seems more associated with the reporting of such crimes, rather than a cover-up by those trying to be politically correct.

[lombok]

I don’t think it will be long until there will be a legal challenge/judicial review to stop state schools being allowed to select on religious grounds on the basis that it’s discriminatory and unfair to the very many who are not religious or of a different religion.

[atbattersea]

I don’t think it will be long until there will be a legal challenge/judicial review to stop state schools being allowed to select on religious grounds on the basis that it’s discriminatory and unfair to the very many who are not religious or of a different religion.

While I think you are correct on the sentiment, one of the peculiarities of the Equalities Act (as I understand it) is that while religion is a protected characteristic (ie you cannot discriminate against people because of their religion) religious groups are effectively exempted and can discriminate on the basis of religion in whatever way they choose.

You see this in the entry criteria for faith-based schools, for example.

[SouthLondonDaddy]

But the difference is that they are discriminating with other people's money, not (only) their own.

How would you feel if a Catholic hospital prioritised Catholics in its waiting list, while the State pays for all salaries and for most of the upkeep and maintenance of the property, purely because, by a number of historical quirks, the land belongs to the Church?

This is exactly what happens with schools. And no one seems to bat an eyelid. Shameful.

Let them do what they want with their own money. Not with the State's (i.e. everyone else's) money.

[atbattersea]

For those of you having an opinion on this issue (discriminatory admissions policies) I suggest you contact your local MP, as that's really the only way that change will occur.

[twomonkeys]

You could argue that as most faith schools are 10% funded by the church, they are doing us all a favour. Those children need to be educated somewhere! If they were abolished then that's a decent lump of cash to find from meagre budgets.

Also, isn't it discriminatory to prevent those faiths educating children as they wish? - there seems to be a market for it and seemingly not enough people find it a problem. Do new free schools offer parents an opportunity to set up schools with their own ethos in mind if they wish?

I'm all for diversity and freedom of thought.