Teaching at Christian fundamentalist schools contradicts UK law

Last Updated: June 6, 2016By
Schoolgirls at a mainstream school. Those at ACE schools were told they must submit to men [Image: PA].

Schoolgirls at a mainstream school. Those at ACE schools were told they must submit to men [Image: PA].

It’s all very well mocking these places for bizarre beliefs but the heart of this matter is that these schools are contradicting UK law.

In this country, for example, prejudice against homosexuality is illegal and the premise that girls must submit to men has the potential to lead to appalling abuse of all kinds.

No doubt the Conservative Government considers these schools to be fine, upstanding entrepreneurial endeavours.

Christian fundamentalist schools are teaching children creationism is fact, that gay people are “unnatural” and that girls must submit to men, according to a series of claims.

Former pupils and whistle-blowers have told The Independent that the schools, which originated in the US but are now dotted around the UK and registered as independent or private schools, teach children at isolated desks separated by “dividers” from other students. It is thought more than a thousand children are being taught at dozens of schools, although little is known about them.

“No one outside the schools knows about what happens inside them, that’s why they’ve been able to go on like this for so long,” a former pupil said.

Called Accelerated Christian Education schools (ACE), the schools originate from an education system developed in southern Baptist states in the US which has developed off-shoots around the world including in Britain. Between 20 and 60 pupils aged between four and 18 attend each one.

Source: Christian fundamentalist schools teaching girls they must obey men | Education News | News | The Independent

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6 Comments

  1. wildswimmerpete June 6, 2016 at 1:22 pm - Reply

    Forgetting for now the legal and moral points, surely teaching Creationism flies in the face of real-world science which I understand is part of a normal curriculum?

  2. Neilth June 6, 2016 at 2:07 pm - Reply

    These fundamentalist hate schools preach holy war and justify racial, sexual and religious oppression and those operating them should be prosecuted for breach of many laws and the foreign hate preachers should be removed from the country – or does that only apply if the schools are Muslim?

  3. Christine Cullen June 6, 2016 at 3:36 pm - Reply

    This gives Christians a bad name.
    I’m a retired head of a C of E state Infants’ School and the Anglican RE curriculum does not contain this creationist, misogynist, homophobic twaddle at all. Staff use the phrase, “Christians believe that …..” without belittling what others believe or don’t believe and when the children are at Key Stage 2 (Juniors) they go on to look at what other religions teach as well with visits to synagogues, mosques and Hindu temples. RE stands for Religious Education, not Religious Indoctrination. These ACE schools appear to be indoctrinating young children into a belief system which is fundamentalist and intolerant. Yet another American import that we can do without!

    The scandal is that independent schools are still not judged by OFSTEd to the same criteria as state schools. If they were, they would be “requiring improvement,” and constantly monitored.

    As a society we can hardly criticise Muslim Madrassas and Jewish schools for their shortcomings when we have this kind of nonsense going on in the name of Christianity. Maybe it’s time for there to be no faith based schools allowed unless they fulfil OFSTEd criteria, whether they are state or independent, free or fee-paying, formal or informal (like church Sunday schools and Muslim independent after-school clubs.)

    Our children are precious and vulnerable and need protecting from indoctrination of any kind. All schools whether faith based or not should be teaching an evidence-based, broad and balanced curriculum. The christianity of the teachers should shine through in their faith example, behaviour and promotion of community, NOT through teaching that Christianity has all the answers which you must never question.

  4. Christine Cullen June 6, 2016 at 3:40 pm - Reply
  5. Melanie F June 7, 2016 at 2:56 pm - Reply

    Surely the heart of the matter is that UK policy contradicts their faith profession in some areas. Where there’s conflict, religious persecution might not be the best way for the state to proceed.

  6. paulrutherford8 June 8, 2016 at 5:42 pm - Reply

    I’m sure my dad would have sent me to a school like that if he could. Put me off religion for life.

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