free schools

Guest2 · 5 Sep 2011 at 18:44

I've just seen something on the news about 'free schools'

I went to a comprehensive school and i'm sure it was free.

What's the difference?

Dave**** · 5 Sep 2011 at 18:48

And the News didn't explain it to you? SHOCKING!

TriedandTested · 5 Sep 2011 at 18:51

Guest2 said:
I've just seen something on the news about 'free schools'

I went to a comprehensive school and i'm sure it was free.

What's the difference?

Seriously? Are you too lazy to look it up?

imb4tman · 5 Sep 2011 at 18:54

Here you go http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13266290

SuperTronNarwhal · 5 Sep 2011 at 18:55

oh my god free school!? where if its free use it

Hyburnate · 5 Sep 2011 at 18:55

A comprehensive school isn't free? Its paid by tax payers. Just saying

TriedandTested · 5 Sep 2011 at 19:09

Oh lord... 'free' isn't just about being the cost, it's about the freedom they have to run their schools.

Guest2 · 5 Sep 2011 at 19:10

WeOwnTheSky said:
Oh lord... 'free' isn't just about being the cost, it's about the freedom they have to run their schools.

Are right, so they can run them how they want, no guidelines or anything?

explicit4u · 5 Sep 2011 at 19:11

Read the bbc link posted above.

scorza · 5 Sep 2011 at 19:45

Guest2 said:
Are right, so they can run them how they want, no guidelines or anything?

Guidelines that are less stringent that state schools have to follow. E.g. free schools don't have to employ qualified teachers, and can set their own curriculum.

Gackt · 5 Sep 2011 at 19:54

As long as they provide a well-rounded quality education, with options for specialisation later on and are free of religious bias, then go for it.

PermaBanned · 5 Sep 2011 at 19:56

Gackt said:
As long as they provide a well-rounded quality education, with options for specialisation later on and are free of religious bias, then go for it.

Problem being that none of these are really true, especially for the half of them that are basically faith schools.

Gackt · 5 Sep 2011 at 20:01

PermaBanned said:
Problem being that none of these are really true, especially for the half of them that are basically faith schools.

Unfortunately so.

StriderX · 5 Sep 2011 at 20:10

Lets just humour them, its not like our society can get much worse.

PermaBanned · 5 Sep 2011 at 20:26

StriderX said:
Lets just humour them, its not like our society can get much worse.

And for that reason the children forced to go to them shouldn't be entitled to as good an education as everybody else in the country?

Dolph · 5 Sep 2011 at 20:28

Free schools, opposed by the left who don't want any opportunity, but only to give everyone the same, poor experience that the worst comprehensives give.

We need a huge reform in our education system, free schools don't go far enough, we need to break the monopoly of education by the state and the teaching unions, bring back academic selection and start recognising that the real world is competitive.

Hatter The Mad · 5 Sep 2011 at 20:30

I'm all for free schools, but only with a ban or stranglehold on faith schools

StriderX · 5 Sep 2011 at 20:33

PermaBanned said:
And for that reason the children forced to go to them shouldn't be entitled to as good an education as everybody else in the country?

Everything in this country ends up a lottery one way or another, it really doesn't matter.

A few religious nuisances wont be much of a problem, unless they become massively right wing, then it may be fuel to a fire.

Dolph · 5 Sep 2011 at 20:34

Hatter The Mad said:
I'm all for free schools, but only with a ban or stranglehold on faith schools

Isn't a ban on faith schools simply enforcement of atheist religious belief in schools by any other name?

Forcing any specific set of beliefs as the only option is equally repugnant and should be opposed.

StriderX · 5 Sep 2011 at 20:36

Dolph said:
Isn't a ban on faith schools simply enforcement of atheist religious belief in schools by any other name?

Forcing any specific set of beliefs as the only option is equally repugnant and should be opposed.

Rather contradicting, if not full on anti-theism, which has nothing to do with Atheism.

Though the two camps mingle most of the time.