Why should religion have any influence on our lives?

[Fidel_Castronaut]

We do fund our own schools. Where do you think tax comes from?

Again, the majority of people who pay for faith schools are not of that faith. If people want their children to be indoctrinated into the same religion as them at a school that caters specifically for that indoctrination, then they need to set aside money to their religion/church with the specific aim of funding it. End of.

I'm a higher-rate tax payer: I pay for education. I probably pay in part for your education. So let's not have any of this "use your own wealth". We (I) already do. And where there is taxation I want representation in how that money, my money, is spent (to coin a phrase).

Entirely secular, non-demoninational education at that! Faith schools get the majority of their capital from people who do not subscribe to that religion or its teachings.

You've paid probably less than hundredth of a % in real terms to your faith school. Millions of other Non-catholic Christians/Muslims/non believers have made up the rest.

And as for the "secular values society holds" - schooling is substantially a choice.

Actually it's a legal requirement (aside certain unacceptable exemptions afforded to some in society).

The types and numbers of school reflect the choices of parents, more now than any recent time in the past. When faith-schools are over-subscribed in an area then the schooling rebalances to reflect that (and vice-versa). The schools we have reflect the values and choices of society.

Faith schools have increased year on year at a greater level than any other school with the possible exception of standard comprehensives.

Yet organised Abrahamic religions, with the exception of Islam and certain minority black Christian churches, are at the lowest recorded level in history or at least since stats have been taken on religious attendance.

I repeat: They are not oversubscribed because of the religion, they are over subscribed because of the grades. Imagine if all those resources could be channelled towards inclusive schools that don't mandate that x amount of pupils have to be of a certain religion or been brought up in a certain tradition?

If people didn't want their children to go to faith schools then demand would drop in relation to non-faith schools. We have a good system in the UK.

We have a tremendously unequal education policy in the UK that still favours wealth over access. The new academy/free school system will only serve to exacerbate this as standard comprehensives slowly die as parents take them out and move them towards more affluent free schools that are no longer subject to Governmental management. Achievement will be skewed towards those lucky few with the rest getting less resources and even worse prospects.

It's not perfect (rebalancing is slow), but it's good - it respects the wishes of parents regarding faith affiliation (or non-affiliation). As it happens demand for faith schools is increasing and the government have asked the Church of England to take on more schools, but if the choice of parents reverse then the system will rebalance again.

As above; demands are increasing for faith schools because of their ability to get students better grades above standard, secular comprehensives. This is not conducive to a good or fair educational policy. It's the antithesis.