Petition the government

[Araneus]

The government have set up a new electronic petitions site where people can produce and sign petitions on more or less anything.

The site is at
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/list?sort=signers

and already has a large number of petitions ranging from the sensible to the downright bizarre.

No doubt they will simply ignore anything which doesn't correspond with their Grand Strategic Vision of Total Control, but it's worth a shot. I'm sure many skeptics will be delighted to see "abolish faith schools" in the current top 6.

[huw-l]

I believe there is a petition on there asking for the national anthem to be replaced with 'Gold' by Spandau Ballet.

[vbloke]

Never!

It should be the theme tune to Roobarb and Custard.

[Araneus]

There is also one that asks Tony Blair to juggle ice cream, and at least three calling for his immediate resignation.

[median]

No. 6.
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Abolish all faith schools and prohibit the teaching of creationism and other religious mythology in all UK schools

This, strangely enough, sits a little uneasy with me :-\
Personally I have no belief in a supernatural being and all the associated baggage (sheol, elysium, original sin etc) but I do have a problem with the prohibition of historical and cultural references. If carried out in the right context (i.e. not asserted as absolute truth) I think the exploration of mythology can provide a great insight into the social psychology of mankind and exploration of different cultures. ???

After all, what have the Romans ever done for us? ;)

[Lord Muck oGentry]

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/libelrejecttest/

:)

[Araneus]

Personally I have no belief in a supernatural being and all the associated baggage (sheol, elysium, original sin etc) but I do have a problem with the prohibition of historical and cultural references. If carried out in the right context (i.e. not asserted as absolute truth) I think the exploration of mythology can provide a great insight into the social psychology of mankind and exploration of different cultures. ???

I am fairly sure the petition is referring to the teaching of religious myth as fact, which is what might be expected to happen in certain faith schools, rather than the study of mythology as part of a historical curriculum.

[Admin]

John Jackson for King.

Has anyone else started this one yet?

OK, I'll do it myself. >:(

[Jocky]

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Abolish all faith schools and prohibit the teaching of creationism and other religious mythology in all UK schools
This, strangely enough, sits a little uneasy with me
Personally I have no belief in a supernatural being and all the associated baggage (sheol, elysium, original sin etc) but I do have a problem with the prohibition of historical and cultural references. If carried out in the right context (i.e. not asserted as absolute truth) I think the exploration of mythology can provide a great insight into the social psychology of mankind and exploration of different cultures.
I am fairly sure the petition is referring to the teaching of religious myth as fact, which is what might be expected to happen in certain faith schools, rather than the study of mythology as part of a historical curriculum.

ISWYM median - the way this one is phrased kind of implies that religion as a topic should be utterly banished from schools. As SB says, it has a place in the teaching of History and it may not be the intention of the petition to ban this, but I suspect that it is its intention to ban religious education. I am not comfortable with that - there is much to be gained by understanding what different religions say about various topics.

I prefer this one:

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to ban within government-funded schools the promotion or practice of any particular faith or religion.

Submitted by Quentin Brodie Cooper of UK Brights – Deadline to sign up by: 16 May 2007 – Signatures: 351