Excuse me, but wasn't most formal education somehow "religion based" up until a while back? Get any wider a brush and you should take up house painting.
Look, I am an atheist, and think all religion is nutty to various degrees, but I don't think we can conflate all religious education as abuse based on extreme examples. Not to mention the routine abuse that takes place in public schools. I felt a thousand times more secure & respected in Catholic School than I did in public school. Come, my friends, 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
And all the people I met who'd attended them, which may or may not have been a representative group, seemed to speak of a level of casual thuggery from their teachers I found shocking. So, maybe in the US that's a broad brush, but not here. keep to the Fen Causeway
Both Scotland and N Ireland have a very religiously divided education system, which probably accounts for the levels of sectarian violence that disfigures their culture. One of the best arguments against what the Labour party are encouraging in england is that we really don't want a dvided society like N Ireland's.
nb cannot comment on wales as I don't know. keep to the Fen Causeway
It's quite in vogue to dismiss religious education by focusing on the Catholics for abusing little boys. But let's not forget that they've contributed countless libraries, schools and universities, and have often placed a higher standard on education than much of the public has. Come, my friends, 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
Unlike in the US, religious education is a standard part of the curriculum in all schools here. Even faith schools must teach a multifaith "awareness", rather than the dogmatics of their own. I've always thought it was a good thing and would be sorry to see it go, the lukewarm standardised approach has led to a great deal of semi-informed atheism here as well as discouraging the sort of religious extremeism that feeds off profound ignorance of what's in the bible 9or other religious book). Course it ain't perfect, but I think it works reaosnably well.
As for focus on education, unions in the UK were associated with strong pushes towards educational improvments here right up till the mid 60s while religious institutions were often viewed as backward and superstitious.
There seems to be a considerable cultural divide here. keep to the Fen Causeway
The headmaster was in his forties and still living with his mother.
In one of the lessons in the first year the class was told that 'Thou shalt not kill' doesn't apply during war time - that's when God doesn't have a problem with killing. In fact it was a sacred duty, etc.
The chaplain was fronting for Opus Dei - although he has now recanted and become one of their most vehement critics. I spent an interesting few evenings visiting an Opus Dei student house in West London because of him - largely under false pretences, because the bible study groups were sneaked in as a side event for more legitimate, not to mention more interesting, activities.
Academically it was one of the best non-public schools in London. And still is.
Which was - you know - nice and all, considering. Although considering the hot housing and the emphasis on 'standards', depressingly few former pupils have had careers of any notable noteworthiness or success.
Not all of the teachers were insane - some of them were as mature and warm as I've ever seen elsewhere. But a significan proportion were a very real Pink Floyd nightmare.
