Teachers demand halt to plans for more faith schools

The NASUWT union called for a blanket ban on any new state funded single faith schools, despite Tony Blair's support for giving church groups a bigger role.

But delegates at the union's annual conference in Belfast stopped short of backing calls for all existing state funded faith schools to be closed.

Brian Williams, from the union's Cardiff branch, said: "Why should non-religious taxpayers like me fund faith schools?

"Would parents believe their taxes were well spent on a Marxist school?"

Mr Williams told delegates that the Government recognised Scientology as a religion which was entitled to state funding to set up its own school.

Scientologists believe humans are descended from an exiled race of aliens called Thetans.

"These people can get state funding, according to the Government's definition, and set up a school," he said.

100 Muslim schools are waiting to win approval to join the state sector.

Mr Williams warned that faith schools would lead the country into greater social segregation and potential conflict.

Delegates passed the motion warning that faith schools could encourage more "social fragmentation".

Mr Williams said many parents simply pretended to be religious to get their children into good Church of England or Roman Catholic schools.

"When children get to year six their parents have miraculous Damascene conversions to Christianity," he said.

They suddenly find themselves attending church every week and taking up posts on worthy committees, he said.

"'Reverend Blair' and his flock not only support religious schools, they seem happy to see their number enlarged."

But he said education and religion cannot mix, adding: "Schools are to educate, churches are to indoctrinate.

"We believe in free state education for all without religious ties."

Several delegates spoke out against the motion, with one warning: "In Northern Ireland at this time I can't think of anything worse than debating faith schools."

But Hank Roberts, from Brent, north London, said the motion did not go far enough.

The religion which was the fastest growing at the last census was "Jedi", he said.

"Why shouldn't they get their own school? They could select 10% of their pupils based on aptitude with a light sabre.

"They would be instantly recognised by the spikes growing out of their head and their ability to hover above the ground.

"If one religion gets state funding and another doesn't, allegations of discrimination will be made - and of course they would be right. "The only logical and fair answer is that no religiously controlled schools should receive any state funding."

The Government said it had no intention of stopping funding for faith schools.

A Department for Education and Skills spokesman said: "We have no plans to cease to fund faith schools.

"The Government is committed to diversity in educational provision in the interests of raising standards and meeting parents' preferences for the type of school they want for their children.

"Faith schools already integrate fully into the state sector.

"They make an important contribution to community cohesion by promoting inclusion and developing partnerships with schools of other faiths, and with non-faith schools."