Wednesday 28 April 2004

Here we go again

There's yet more trouble being caused by Scotland's policy of maintaining divisive state schools:
AN £8 million plan for Roman Catholic and non-denominational schools to share a site in Peebles could create sectarian divisions in an area where religious differences have never been an issue, according to critics.

The majority of parents with children at Halyrude RC School and Kingsland School are said to be against the move, and now there are demands for alternative options to co-location.

For those parents who want to retain religiously separate schools, there is a simple answer: pay for it yourselves! It's quite outrageous that the already over-burdened taxpayer has to pay £4,700 a year for every pupil in government schools. If there must be a state system, don't waste money on this sectarian nonsense. Note the Scottish Executive's rather surprising decision to keep Christian religious observance at school assemblies when this practice is under attack in England. There wouldn't be much point in having separate Catholic and "non-denominational" schools if prayers were banned!