30 June, 2009
Björn again
Björn Ulvaeus, musician and, as I've just discovered, member of the Swedish Humanist Association, restates the simple principle that "religion and schools don't mix". He's not wrong.
It's hardly controversial to opine that people in favour of religious schools are themselves believers. Religion has a natural place in their homes and their children grow up with it.
And that's fine.
And, incidentally, that's my position too: I definitely don't oppose the right to practice religion
in private, 'merely' state-endorsement of religious expression in public.
But does this not make it all the more important for schools to be free of religious influence?
In a recent debate with principals from two religious schools I was accused of being driven by emotions masquerading as reason. But if we hypothesise for a moment that they are right, then surely the same is true of them. And if that's the case, who should we listen to? It is precisely to avoid such conflicts that schools should provide a safe haven from all ideologies, with the obvious codicil that children should learn as much about as many of them as possible from an objective point of view.
Posted by Ministry at 13:57
| 195 words
