Humanists launch to stop 40 per cent of places at new North Kingston school being allocated to Christians (From Your Local Guardian)

Humanists launch to stop 40 per cent of places at new North Kingston school being allocated to Christians

1:00pm Thursday 29th July 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(9)

Further controversy is looming over plans for a new secondary school in North Kingston.

Richmond Council is opposed to Kingston Council’s plans to build an eight-form secondary school on the site of the North Kingston Centre, about 500 yards from the borough boundary, as it was felt it would have an adverse impact on Richmond schools.

And now a campaign has been launched to try and prevent it becoming a church school.

Almost 50 people have signed an online petition calling for the school to be “run by an organisation that will provide an inclusive neighbourhood school which does not discriminate on grounds of religion in its employment and admissions policies, ethos or curriculum”.

Groups interested in running the school have until August 23 to submit bids and there are reports the Church of England has lined up an offer with a proposal to allocate 40 per cent of places to Christian pupils.

Jeremy Rodell, chairman of south-west London Humanists, said: "Humanists aren't anti-religious, but we're anti-religious-privilege. Surely in 2010 we should be reducing discrimination, not increasing it.

“Yet we have Catholic campaigners in Richmond using the Pope's visit to argue the case for a new Catholic secondary school, and the Church of England campaigning to secure this new major school in North Kingston.

“If they are successful, the new Kingston school will discriminate against the children of anyone who's not a practising Christian.

“Their children will be barred from 40 per cent of the places. Yet it's a state school so we'll all pay for it. How can that be right?"

The future of the plan was thrown into doubt last month as funding for the building was due to come from the Building Schools for the Future programme, which was scrapped by the Government.

But Councillor Liz Green, Kingston Council executive member for education, said she was confident the council would still receive Government funding for the new school and have it open in September 2015.

Humanists will hold a public meeting at the Hawker Centre, Richmond Road, Kingston, on September 27.

To sign the petition visit tinyurl.com/33dgbw4