Maharishi Free School loses bid to open in Richmond (From Your Local Guardian)

• "akhanw - I consider myself to be a Christian. Along with many parents I have spoken to, I do not want to send my kids to a religious school because I want them to decide for themselves when they have enough information, what religion, if any, they want to follow, and if the religious schools communicate how un-Christian they are, as you and Derek have done on here, that goes ten-fold. I hear enough tales from the bible quoted as absolute fact that have been indoctrinated into my primary school age nieces and nephews at religious schools. Your comment about the Catholic school illuminates just how biased and un-Christian you are. You can't even resist being spiteful about a different brand of your own religion.
  
  Derek, you are conspicuous in your own absence - I would like to hear your confirmation of the very interesting fact that you send your children to Hampton School. Any comments?
  
  akhanw , you accuse the Maharishi bid of not focusing on local community - are you serious? They got 900 children registered as first choice - against the CoE bid of how many? Less than 20% of that figure? Derek, a response please? And do not give the usual 'we are a smaller school so got less numbers', we all know that is rubbish because it doesn't matter how many places there are, we as parents will register in the hope that we will get our kids a place. The above figures alone speak for themselves.
  
  As regards TM followers - I asked about this at the meeting (yes, I went to one as I was keen to hear a balanced view - not biased and ignorant opinion) and asked the question about TM and how many TM people in the Hampton community would be sending their kids. I was told that whilst there are many people who have learnt and do TM in the area, none of the children are appropriate age for the proposed school. So that is 900 kids plus 600-odd parents and none are ‘TM followers’. I asked about their other school in the north and how many pupils at that school were part of the TM community, and was told a tiny minority (I think it was 3 or 4 as most of them are past school age) and how many since it became a free school and was told 1 out of 80+ new children last year. And that they had up to 17 applications for each school place. Interesting. So much for your ‘meeting needs of your TM followers’ comment. Looks to me like the needs of the TM community in the north have been well and truly met already with a successful and popular school and now other people are and want to benefit too.
  
  If I have learnt one thing from watching this whole free school issue unfold, it is that there is a shocking number of ignorant and lazy people that cannot be bothered to look and find out info for themselves, who would rather just sit at a computer and spout rubbish. Shameful. I do wholeheartedly agree with your subsequent comment that councils should provide good school places - and your question about how many council members send their kids there.
  
  The fact still remains that there is a significant black hole and shortfall for secondary places in the Hampton area. This issue is NOT going to go away.
  
  Mr. Scott, I read your post on here with interest and am impressed that a parent and ex-pupil were so confident and happy with their experience of your existing school that they felt willing to contribute to allow other parents and kids the choice of experiencing the same kind of education. I personally do not think that you need apologise for the fact that your bid was unsuccessful this time at all, in fact your conduct and that of the school you represent has been impressive and impeccable in the face of rude, underhand and nasty attempts to undermine your application, much of it backed by people who do not live in the Richmond area, and are part of the political anti - Free School lobby from what I can see of it. If you do decide to apply again I sincerely hope you are successful."
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