Muslim parents want to "ensure that their children get a proper grounding in their faith." The key word here is "proper". There are many versions of this religion/ideology and I challenge supporters of state-funded muslim schools to define what a "proper" muslim grounding would contain. CofE and RC schools at least have accountability to an established Church organisation which broadly supports western democratic values.

John, London, UK

I say aren't we taking a step backwards
Let's set different schools for different colours
We could even separate different parts of cities

williame_, London, UK

Much depends on the curriculum taught in these schools and whether or not it encourages or discourages integration, a British identity based on our secular democracy, and freedom of speech and conscience.
Given the core beliefs of the Qu'ran, I doubt that this could be so in Muslim schools. Islam often requires separation, a binary world view, the prohibition of religious liberty, and a wholly uncritical attitude towards its own doctrine and the history and status of its founder. I rather fear that these tendencies would remain perniciously indelible regardless of State supervision; and underwritten by taxpayers.
Will such schools be required to enter a quota of pupils from other faiths? If so, the test of a Muslim school's commitment to inter-faith education will be if it will welcome British Christian, Jewish, Hindu or other learners, treat them as equals and make the sort of concessions to their beliefs and religious practices that Muslims demand for Islam.

Sebastian W, Dartmouth, UK

Christian schools make a huge contribution to the local and wider comunity. Mainly this is through the clear values they hold for the pupils. Among these are respect for themselves for others and for God. This makes demands on them, to be concerned about others, to give of themselves, to be fair and just, to admit when they are wrong, to be optimistic and to try hard in what they do. Isn't this what we want for our young people and for the local communities?

rita price, Cheshire , England

The government is laying up trouble for itself over the next ten or so years by placing so much emphasis on faith schools. There are many examples where the introduction of faith in education leads to isolation of though, and eventuaqlly bigotry. The cases of Northern Ireland and Muslim Madrassas are cases in point. An education that is secular, but covers both other people's ways of life, and their religion, as well as those who have no religion at all, will prduce brodd minded individuals who do not have a narrow understanding of life and the world.

Edwin Davey, Hereford, England

While we're at it can we have seperate schools for those of a difference race too?

Doug Bates, St. Albans,

Faith schools for atheists exist already in the form of many state schools. They have no religious input whatsoever and indoctrinate on issues such as the theory of evolution.
I agree that religious indoctrination is wrong but most Christian faith schools don't want to indoctrinate religious beliefs. All they want is the opportunity to present a balanced view so that children can indeed make up their own minds. I question whether that happens in most state schools.

It seems from reading the comments that most of the commentators think it is acceptable to indoctrinate with secular ideas and beliefs but not with our Christian beliefs

Bob, Poole, UK

It can only be clear to those whose vision is blurred by cultural relativism that the existence of Church of England schools is the justification for schools of other faiths in England. In the same way that the C of E itself is a product and an expression of the history, shared experiences and fellowship of this country, so its schools naturally teach and reflect a specifically English identity. That is how it should be; schools associated with the national Church showing instinctive allegiance to the national home. Islam, and the other non-native faiths, are equally bound up with the cultures from which they sprang. Islam et al refers to a complex indentity, both cultural and national, which has its wellsprings and loyalties far from these shores. Pupils taught in Islamic schools will take important elements of their identities and allegiances from elsewhere. Children in England of whatever background should be encouraged to believe they belong here. Diversity in faith is division.

david lovibond, devizes, wiltshire

"teach your children that their existence does not have a rational explanation..."

Uhm. That's the whole point of the theory of evolution. Looking for the rational, scientific explanation of existence, instead of a religious one.

I'm all for offering the "intelligent design" perspective in school, the problem is wanting to replace the theory of evolution completely.

If we're going to offer the religious explanations of reality, we NEED to include the criticisms of them. Anything else is brainwashing unsuspecting children.

Name Withheld, Andover, UK

As an atheist I have to say, somewhat sadly, that faith schools do help protect atheist children from some of the nastiness they can be exposed to when educated alongside religious youngsters or by religious teachers.
Religious people are unfortunately often not the nicest people in the world when disagreed with and it could be worth paying to keep them and their anger isolated to minimise damage to the young.
Also, is it wise for children to make such early contact with concepts alien to most atheists such as polygamy? Is it good to normalize certain religious and cultural lifestyle aspects?
We are trying to progress from negative aspects of the past but are they? As traditionalists they probably don't seek progress and will just hold things back for the secular majority if mainstreamed.
As its not what they want, don't push them into contact where they can damage atheist kids.
Some forms of separateness are for the best.

pia, london, uk

With a bit of luck they can be made as thick as the rest of the inmates of the ' Education ' system. It is one way of cutting down on terrosism.

Desmond Taylor, Houston, USA Texas

Isn’t it amazing that in the Bible bashing U.S. the funding fathers nurtured on the Enlightenment forbade religion in state schools (Public Schools). Religion or lack of it is a private matter they averred. The taxpayer should not pay for indoctrination. In a tolerant democracy you can believe anything you like but not at the taxpayers’ expense. No religion has the right to impose their beliefs on others as Christians did, and would fain do it now if only they could. Muslims were much more tolerant in the past than Christians. What a shame that intolerance and extremism is taking over their thinking. Thumping the Koran or the Bible you can justify anything you like. A great pity, because they are books worth reading, written and edited by wise Men

Peter Kaldor, Woking, Surrey

The faith schools argument is complicated because of the two fold character of the problem.

Firstly, the case for muslim schools accepts the failure to integrate mostly asian youth into British schools. The rise of multiculturalism has ghettoised young asian pupils who have identified with religion as distinct to their national identity or ethnicity. Idnetifying as muslim sets them apart from Western culture. For the state to sponsor this is an admission of defeat in reaching out to these young people. The state at one and the same time admits defeat in integrating them and sets them up as a problem in British society.

The second issue regards the position of secularism in British society. Secularism is not winning the war for people's hearts and minds because what it amounts to in British schools is an acceptance of the multicutural argument that we must respect each others cultures by accepting the differences between us. This privileges every culture except Western culture.

David Perks, London, UK

Banned, banned, banned.

As long we continue promote the segregation of all the different groups, under the name of multi-culturalism, we are going to end up with civil war. The one culture that matters, the one culture that allows us all to live together, the one culture that should be promoted, is the culture of western democracy.

It is *not* racist to acknowledge that our democracy is a better system than brutal dictatorships. It is *not* bigotry to acknowledge that our democracy is better than a theocracy. It is *not* xenophobic to promote this system over the others.

MM, Andover, UK

Tim, in Manchester - totally agree with you. Born catholic, born muslim, born jewish - what absolute nonsense ! Religious faith is apparently hereditary, comes with the genes, I guess, and fundamentally gives the child no choice - bit like having red hair, and varicose veins ( like me !! ). How about schools for atheists? As someone who believes that organised religion causes more evil any other issue, I wanted my children to be taught at a state school where the supernatural is not a specific part of education, and where they could stay off their knees and learn something useful. Faith schools actually restrict choices.

TD, LONDON,

So the solution that will integrate minorities isolated by private single-religion schools is taxpayer funded single-religion schools.

Pure genius.

nonplussed, London, UK

How does separation encourage integration?

Alastair Cannon, Binfield,

I I roughly counted about 8 references to the religious beliet of children ("muslim/christian/jewish children", "children of faith", "their religion", etc). Following Dawkins et al, can we drop this ridiculous collusion with religious pressure groups. A new-born baby is no more a muslim, christian, etc, than it is a marxist or a supporter of Manchester United. When the child grows up he or she should be able to make an informed decision about the faith (if any) to which they wish to belong. Faith schools, by exposing children overwhelmingly to one religion, severely reduce the chance of the children making an objective, informed choice. And this is one area of choice that the government and opposition are happy to ignore.

Toby Barrett, Worcester, UK

The very phrase "faith school" should be alarming to any rational person. Children should never be taught religious dogma as if it were fact and placing religious teachings into schools, where science, mathematics and history lessons are taught, has exactly that effect.

Secondly, faith schooling introduces separatism both directly, by separating children from their peers of other (or no) religions, and indirectly, by making it harder for children to associate with people of other (or no) religions in the future by failing to expose them to such people in their formative years.

And the plus side? They get fairly good academic results. Well, I like to think we can do that without fairy tales. And if we can't, then there are problems in the system that can't be solved with blind faith, and throwing faith in as a stop-gap measure is absolutely the wrong thing to do.

Faith schools should be banned outright. Religion has no place in education. The very idea is offensive.

Andrew Taylor, Manchester, UK

to Ataullah Parkar, You have hit upon the heart of the matter your right to have your childern kept in ignorance is trumped by their right to an enlightened education. They are your children NOT your PROPERTY. Its not your right to have your children kept in ignorance and fed superstitious nonsense. (to be pedantic we didnt come from monkeys but we do share a common ancestor. If you can't bring yourself to accept this that is your issue.) Your children dont deserve to be penalised for your intellectual failure.

Let them come to your brand of the truth by themselves later in life after all if its so 'true' im sure they will come to realise it for themselves.

Unless of course you know your belief to be nonsense and dare not expose it to the light of criticsm or enquiry even from a childs mind lest it be revealed as mumbo jumbo . (i suspect that is actually the truth)

Tim, Manchester, UK

Now more than ever, is a requirement that we all start thinking outside of the usual well worn boxes of our mental confinement.

J Green, Stockport,

I totally agree with Michael ,UK, It surely must be against the human rights of children that they shouldn't be brainwashed at all. Least of all by religious dogma. There is little doubt in my mind now that man has the ability to destroy the world (very easily), that religion with soon be the death of us all. What a shame that the religious will never know that heaven is only a dream of man.

Keith, Dartmouth, UK

Simple really. Schools should educate children about the various religions and philosophies and ethics. If parents want to indoctrinate their children in order to make them "believe" in some religion or other, well they are free to send them to Sunday School or church or whatever. That is the right of the parents. I think it is harmful to the children, but it's none of my business.

alan, cologne,

Integration trough segregation. It makes sense. To a politician.
On the taxpayer's expense, of course.

peterR, Reading, UK, Berks.

A recipe for disaster, they will never integrate.

Michael, Bridgwater,

its amazing how people think that schools with no faith are perspective free. If I don't want my child growing up thinking they came from monkeys, thats my damn right. Just like you have a right to teach your children that their existence does not have a rational explanation...

Ataullah Parkar, Birmingham, UK

It's all well and good catering for "Jewish Children", "Musilm Children" and "Christian Children", but where are "Conservative Children", "Marxist Children" and "Anarchist Children" going to study? If you're comfortable assigning a metaphysical world-view on your child, it's only fair and right that you also assign them into physical world-view groups, too.

Mark N, Lodson, UK

In my view all religious schools should be closed. I have no problem with religion being taught as part of the curriculum but any religious teaching should include all religions and the opposing argument.

John Short, Sturminster Newton, England/Dorset

There is a problem about Asians integrating into British society, so the way to solve the problem is to segregate them in schools? Is it me, or is this bonkers?
Anyway, if they do try it I hope it works better than in Northern Ireland!

And by the way, there are not "15,000 Muslim children" any more than there are 15,000 Liberal Democrat children. There are "15,000 children of Muslim parents" - children are too young to understand religion or have religious beliefs of their own so it is ridiculous to label them with a religious label.

Alan Clark, Liverpool, UK

No problem with religious schools in the State sector but I do want C of E Schools to take only Christians and not be the poor relation to "faith schools" which C of E schools most certainly are not and definitely not in Northern England

Voyager, Manchester, England

Roman Catholicism should be ignored on this, Lord Baker was quite correct and Vincent Nicholls quite wrong.
No more faith schools at tax payers' expense, our social fragementation cannot cope with it.

Ib, Homerton, UK

Increase integration by segregation?
Is there a University course I missed out on that teaches this line of thinking?

Phill Barlow, Wirral, England

No child is born believing in Judaism, Christianity or Islam. Those labels are forced on defenseless children who are not given freedom to decide if they want to believe & participate in any religious dogma as adults.

Is it acceptable for parents to enroll the children from infancy in political parties too?

Lucy, Peace River, Alberta

If you are an atheist you have 0% chance.

Steve Connor, Darlington, UK

I have fundamental doubts about there being any form of religious orientation in schools. We should look to France , Turkey and the US in that regard where state and church are firmly separated. Religion is a deeply PERSONAL matter. That said, it would be better to have rigorous inspection by independent 3rdnparties to ensure that a properly balanced holistic education is being given, (something that appears to be missing in fundamentalist states such as Iran or Iraq., but that is another debate) Whereas UK's state schools teach pupils about the many different forms of religion in order to create tolerance, would the same apply to single denomination faith schools? Furthermore, would girls be given the same opportunities as boys? Not having been taught in a single faith school or having sent my children to one I wouldn't be able to comment but would like to know.
Faith is one thing, indoctrination is another. We are a multifaith society and schools are a mirror of our wider lives.

Joanne Wilson, Colchester, Essex, England

So in order to integrate communities the children need to be separated according to their parents religion ?!
Talk about doing the absolute opposite to integration.
Such action will lead to a sectarian British nightmare in a generations time... sheer madness

Mark S, King's Lynn, Norfolk

Will the faith schools include ones for Atheists.

Mick Fenner, Cornwall,

Given the historical and cultural background to the development of education in Britain, the existence and growth of "faith schools" is, I suppose, inevitable, but from the point of view of Japan, where I have lived for the past 30 years, I think it would be fair to say that the total absence of religion in state education (there are a few private-sector Christian schools) is a stabilizing factor in Japanese society.

akai ringo, Tokyo,

Of course, the way to end segregation is to
create schools which segregate.
Typical British ducking the subject.
Islam teaches muslims they are superior to
unbelievers and establishes the 'duty' to either
enslave or annihilate the infidel. What part of this
does the British government not understand?
Apparently, Britain wants more suicide bombings
to compensate for its colonial guilt. However, in a
free society, the individual is responsible for their
own deeds, not for others'. So the guilt is a sham.
I think Britain will learn a savage lesson. But, then,
they call it a democracy, so, obviously, the people
have nothing to say about all this.i

Lynne, Chicago, Ill., USA

"More faith schools are planned in an effort to integrate minorities."

How can segregation of children on the basis of their (or at this age, parent's) religious beliefs ever lead to greater integration in the wider community ?

Religious education - to give children an understanding of all faiths is essential in all schools and all children, including those of no faith (most young children)

Faith schools however are about religious indoctrination - a perfect vehicle for ensuring that no child can (or would dare) to think outside the box in which they have been placed at an age when they will accept whatever beliefs are placed before them. Lip service is paid to 'teaching' about other religions, but this is a trickle compared to the torrent of information both explicit and implied about the favoured religion.

If we really want to integrate communities then the solution is an end to all faith schools.

Michael, UK,