Proposed new Free School in Stoke Poges

[scary mum]

I understand that at a meeting in Stoke Poges this evening SBDC said that after the first year pupils from Stoke Poges, Hedgerley etc will lose their free transport to other schools. This will not be retrospective, so those already receiving free transport will continue to receive it. Outrageous, in my opinion. While I am sure it will be an excellent school with good aims & ethos, I am quite sure that most non Sikhs will not choose to send their children there, in the same way that Sikhs, Jewish people etc would not automatically thnk of sending their children to a Catholic school. Quite apart from the effects of putting a large school in a small village and bussing in up to 1000 children.

Edited to add: I understand that SBDC are opposed to this development and have been left unable to do anything to prevent it.

[drummer]

Many Sikhs will likewise not send their children, preferring a good, socially mixed GS should their children qualify. The school is for a few in Slough and a greater number in West London where the school choice is more dire and those who want the child-care provided by the very long (and compulsory) school day.

Apparently the Slough Councillors are all backing it though not enough to let them have the sites in Slough that they were originally after.

[drummer]

and of course, once they have a sixth form the cost per child of not choosing the Khalsa school will be £1,000

[scary mum]

One of their arguments that baffles me is the following:

The school is being built because they need a Sikh school in Slough, but couldn't find a site.
To start with they estimate that 70% of children will come from outside South Bucks
However, they see this increasing as more Sikhs move out of Slough and into Bucks
So when that happens, what happens to the Sikhs from Slough etc - will they have to build another school?
Of course, only 50% will be Sikh anyway

For what it's worth, I have no problem with Sikhs, or any other religious group. Personally I think education and religion should be separated, as it is in, for example, France and the US, but I fully accept that others will have different views, and I respect that.

[Okanagan]

I rather suspect that there may be sudden rash of professed atheists appearing - have a look at page 3 of this document.

[scary mum]

I wonder how you prove you are an atheist? Get the local priest (other religions also available) to say that you've never darkened the door of any religious institution?

I do think the way this particular development has been handled is shocking, regardless of what type of school is planned. A public meeting was held in September but no one in Stoke Poges was informed (including the primary school) - only parents of school children in Slough were invited. No one in Stoke Poges knew nothing about it until it was (more or less) a done deal in January. Some very interesting articles on the Stoke Poges parish website if anyone is interested.

[drummer]

I wonder how you prove you are an atheist? Get the local priest (other religions also available) to say that you've never darkened the door of any religious institution?

Would my well thumbed copy of the God Delusion count?

[guest666]

Notes on the meeting between the Parish Councillors and the MP
http://www.stokepogesparishcouncil.gov. ... b-13-2.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[hermanmunster]

I rather suspect that there may be sudden rash of professed atheists appearing - have a look at page 3 of this document.

agreed - personally I think that religious parents should be able to send their child to a non faith school if they wish without having to deny their own faith - it is their religion after all, not the kid's and anyway too much of something can be a bad thing.

[hermanmunster]

I wonder how you prove you are an atheist? Get the local priest (other religions also available) to say that you've never darkened the door of any religious institution?

Would my well thumbed copy of the God Delusion count?

local vicar has got one of those too!