Faith Schools and the Plural Society: Exploring Notions of Diversity in School Provision in England

Abstract

Around thirty per cent of all schools in England have a religious character. The author argues that the current 'faith schools debate' is more about the nature of its 'plural society' than about the place of such schools within the state-maintained sector. He suggests that to assume we are, in fact, living within a determinedly plural society is not as clear-cut as one might suppose, and that the very existence of the current 'faith school debate' in England is an indication that we are not as committed to pluralism as we might like to think. First he sets out two differing conceptions of the plural societyone strong, one weak. Then he sketches the historical and legislative backdrop to the present English state-maintained educational system. His third objective is to chart, briefly, the development of the educational system since the 1980s and to describe how it corresponds to changes from a strong to a weak concept of a plural society in which societal attitudes which once championed legislation supporting minority communities now seem to be leaning towards marginalising or even suppressing the contribution of such groups to the common good. Finally, he argues that the continuing existence of a distinctive dual system of educational provision in England, of which the Catholic sector is a paradigm, provides a bulwark against a creeping tide of weak pluralism, which has been likened to a form of damaging totalitarianism.

Inter-group contact at school and social attitudes: evidence from Northern Ireland

“…In Northern Ireland, a country troubled by prolonged conflict between Catholics and Protestants and marked by residential and educational segregation, Mike Nesbitt, a member of the legislative assembly, and its Education Committee, recently called for a withdrawal of public funding for faith schools (Belfast Newsletter, 2012), adding to the debate about whether separate or 'faith' schools should be state-funded (e.g., Judge, 2001;Morris, 2012;Short, 2002). Inherent in this position is the assumption that faith schools are detrimental to the aspiration for a shared future in a society that is emerging from conflict.…”

Irregular Schools and Schooling

“…Countries party to the agreement would "have respect for the liberty of parents, and where applicable, legal guardians to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions" (Article 18 [4]). Morris (2012) argues that these measures were put in place more as a means to safeguard children from propaganda by dictatorial regimes than for the good of the child. It would seem that, even for democratically elected governments like those in the UK, the right of parents historically to choose alternative education for their children resulted in some concern.…”