Totally secular schools?

recedite

In theory, would it be possible to set up a non-denominational primary school for unbelievers? In order to receive public funding, it would have to devote the minimum 2.5 hrs to religion, so presumably this time would have to be spent pointing out the various perceived flaws and contradictions of the main religions.

byhookorbycrook

Interesting question.I don't see why not, once you could prove you had the numbers to make it viable?

recedite

Nobody likes that kind of negativity (including the atheists)
However, IMO the Dept. of Eduaction is at fault here, in making religion an important mandatory subject.

Article 42.3 of the constitution states;

The State shall, however, as guardian of the common good, require in view of actual conditions that the children receive a certain minimum education, moral, intellectual and social.

IMO the big problem here is that the Dept. of Education seem to have substituted the word religious for the word moral in interpreting the constitution, for the purpose of defining the national curriculum. What they should have done, is to declare a minimum of 2.5hrs of moral education. The classes in this hypothetical school could then be renamed "ethics, philosophy and religion" and the time put to good, constructive use, rather than simply negativity and religion bashing.
It would also make the school a lot more attractive to parents, and therefore it could be a viable patronage model.

recedite

recedite wrote: »

In theory, would it be possible to set up a non-denominational primary school for unbelievers?

Why do that when Educate Together can provide the same service?

recedite

Supposing somebody like the OP moved into an area and found that the ET school was oversubscribed. The places would already have been allocated on a first come first served basis. Some of those kids may belong to a religion which operates a denominational school nearby. But for whatever reasons, perhaps the parents prefer a multi-denominational environment, or perhaps it's just closer, they chose the ET school instead.
Now the newcomer is forced to choose between traveling to an ET school in the next town, or accepting the subtle religious indoctrination of the denominational school.

But if the school was non-denominational, and its ethos was "a philosophy that is atheist, agnostic or non-religious" then it could elicit from the parent a simple "declaration of no religion" thereby bumping them up the waiting list. This would be the same positive discrimination as is used in a denominational school when they ask for a baptismal certificate.
In addition, the hypothetical school may or may not have a slightly different slant on religion, compared to a multi-denominational school.

byhookorbycrook

I have moved the posts from the other thread over here, to a thread of their own.

byhookorbycrook

Deleted User wrote: »

Why do that when Educate Together can provide the same service?

But the Educate Together is not a secular model.