UK will not abolish faith schools

[skribb]

I just got an email from 10 Downing Street.

You signed a petition asking the Prime Minister to "Abolish all faith
schools and prohibit the teaching of creationism and other religious
mythology in all UK schools."

The Prime Minister's Office has responded to that petition and you can view
it here:

http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page14536.asp


Well, it turns out that the PM's Office don't give a fuck about faith schools. The response is stupid, it seems they've partly misunderstood the petition:

The Government remains committed to a diverse range of schools for parents to choose from, including schools with a religious character or "faith schools" as they are commonly known.

Religious Education (RE) in all schools, including faith schools, is aimed at developing pupils' knowledge, understanding and awareness of the major religions represented in the country. It encourages respect for those holding different beliefs and helps promote pupils' moral, cultural and mental development. In partnership with national faith and belief organisations we have introduced a national framework for RE.

In February 2006, the faith communities affirmed their support for the framework in a joint statement making it clear that all children should be given the opportunity to receive inclusive religious education, and that they are committed to making sure the framework is used in the development of religious education in all their schools and colleges.

The Churches have a long history of providing education in this country and have confirmed their commitment to community cohesion. Faith schools have an excellent record in providing high-quality education and serving disadvantaged communities and are some of the most ethnically and socially diverse in the country. Many parents who are not members of a particular faith value the structured environment provided by schools with a religious character.
(my emphasis)

No need to reply or anything, just a report to all of you who didn't sign this petition.

[nkb]

What are you doing signing petitions in the UK?

[skribb]

I don't see the problem in doing so. It does no harm and it's for a good cause. It was a looong time ago though (like, a year?), I don't remember exactly what I was thinking at the time of signing.

[Facehammer]

Probably that a petition would in some way have an effect on anything, which is a lie.

[skribb]

They usually don't work, but don't be a pessimist.

If anything, it's worth a shot. I know of a petition that regarded the import of Vanilla Coke to Sweden (officially they don't sell it anymore here). It succeeded! :P

[Choobus]

why? Just beacue it's shite, or is it some sort of health hazardf?

[skribb]

If it doesn't sell, there's no point in producing it. Same happened to Coke Lime a couple weeks ago. I think I was the only one buying that one.

[marstosirius]

As a guy who's come up through a Catholic school system and out as an atheist (and a scientist for that matter) I'd honestly do it again. I didn't think going through a faith-based school was all that horrid. I found that if you actually listen to what they say, you'd be hard-pressed to NOT come out as an atheist.

For the record, of the 20-some odd student who "graduated" with me from this program, 4 of the 5 I still keep up with are atheists.

[marstosirius]

By the by, is the British government actually funding these schools, or are they private?

[Eva]

government funded.

i'm a catholic school girl myself. atheist since 9th-10th grade. got the medal for religion too. heehee.

[Professor Chaos]

i'm a catholic school girl myself. atheist

:drool:

[Eva]

no fapping?
(up your meds, dude)

[Professor Chaos]

no fapping?
(up your meds, dude)

My doctor just doubled my blood pressure meds AND my cholesterol meds! The cholesterol pills are so big I have to dip them in bacon grease to get them down!

[nkb]

A little Off Topic, but I wanted to make a comment on the catholic school girl thing (I'm not judging, but I just don't get it).

To me, that uniform represents underage girls (even when worn by adult women), and has pedophilic connotations.
It's kind of the same thing as a completely shaved bush, which is too much like a pre-adolescent girl, in my view.

Is this just a leftover from when guys were in high school, and seeing a cute girl in a short skirt was exciting?

How does that work in your minds?

[Professor Chaos]

Hair = stinky and gross. Has nothing to do with pre-adolescence. What about shaved legs? Armpits?

[nkb]

Hair = stinky and gross. Has nothing to do with pre-adolescence. What about shaved legs? Armpits?
I'm not saying it actually has something to do with pre-adolescence, but, to me, it just evokes that connection, especially now that I have a young daughter, it would creep me out even more.

However, I submit that you have had some bad experiences with women that don't take care of their nether regions, because pubic hair is not necessarily stinky and gross. ;)
I personally like trimmed and neat (I'm no fan of fighting through a jungle), and, obviously, washed and taken care of, just like hair on a woman's head.

You do have a point with shaved legs and armpits, though. Even though I grew up in Europe (where unshave armpits aren't the norm, but more common than here), I still prefer shaved armpits. Probably because they get nasty, no matter how much you wash.

But, back to the catholic school girl outfits. Do you have any insight on that? Is it just the short skirts, or is it something else?

[Professor Chaos]

However, I submit that you have had some bad experiences with women that don't take care of their nether regions, because pubic hair is not necessarily stinky and gross. ;)

No, no bad experiences. I just think body hair is (sometimes) stinky and (always) gross. :)


But, back to the catholic school girl outfits. Do you have any insight on that? Is it just the short skirts, or is it something else?

Good question, I don't know. It's mostly the short skirts for me personally, but I'm sure it has to do with the age on some primal level. Your gross misuse of the word "pedophilic" when referring to teenaged girls notwithstanding, man has been mating with and marrying teenaged girls for what, more than 99% of his history? Not hooking up with teenagers is a recent development for man. DISCLAIMER - I AM NOT COMPLAINING. I AM NOT ADVOCATING OLDER MEN HOOKING UP WITH TEENAGE GIRLS.

I'm sure there's some biological "that girl just went through puberty a couple years ago and her tits and ass are at their all-time perkiest she'd be perfect to impregnate" thing going on.

There's probably a psychological "that girl represents the teenage years I can never have back again" thing going on.

I've never studied it, so I don't know. But I'm sure there's a reason why the Britney Spears video was so popular. And why there were websites with countdowns to the Olsen Twins' 18th birthday all over the place. And why Family Guy jokes like Quagmire's, "Hey Meg, you 18 yet?" or Matthew Mc..Matthew McCona...McConaghey...McConah...er, Wooderson's line, ("That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age.") so popular.

I guess what I'm saying is that I would guess that the connection, due to it's overwhelming prevalence, is probably more biological than psychological. I don't know.

[mmfwmc]

I'm pretty sure that it's partly because at the time you were deciding what turned you on, that is what you were surrounded with.

[nkb]

Your gross misuse of the word "pedophilic" when referring to teenaged girls notwithstanding, man has been mating with and marrying teenaged girls for what, more than 99% of his history? Not hooking up with teenagers is a recent development for man. DISCLAIMER - I AM NOT COMPLAINING. I AM NOT ADVOCATING OLDER MEN HOOKING UP WITH TEENAGE GIRLS.
Yes, I realize using "pedophilic" seems over the top, but that's what it feels like to me. I realize there is a huge difference between sexual attraction to a 3-year old and a 17-year old, but it's just differing degrees in my book.
Obviously, if I were 21 (man, those were the days), lusting after a 17 year old seems acceptable, but now that I am 41, it would be downright creepy.
If my wife were to dress up in a catholic school girl outfit, complete with pigtails (that's the stereotype, isn't it?), even though she is age-appropriate for me, it's still indulging in some sort of fantasy of doing it with an underage girl.

I don't mean to try to single you out as being abnormal, because this is obviously quite prevalent among males. Your comment just motivated me to ask.

I agree with all the rest as possible reasons.

[marstosirius]

Point of interest: Very few men have any catholic school experience, and as such were never exposed to girls dressed in uniforms during puberty and the coming of age and all that. And yet the majority dig the look.

I'd wager that it's because the image most people get when they think of school girls isn't actually that of a school girl. It's that of a SLUTTY school girl. And that makes a huge difference. The typical school girl costume has about half the fabric of a standard catholic school girl uniform.


I doubt many of the straight men in the forum are turned on by firemen, but I'd bet most would salivate at the sight of a woman in a slutty version of fire protection equipment.

[Rat Bastard]

A little late in the mix, but hell, there are women around here that go gaga for a guy in a kilt, too. My wife has a really nice pleated wool skirt that is sort of fitting the description of the school girl thing- sort of. It stops below her knees, yet. But it is one sexy skirt. I guess the way it falls off a flaring hip (no hipless teenager here) and pulls back into the legs is what does it. Guess I'll have to put it near the front of the wardrobe again. Hmmmm. And, no professor, you ain't getting a picture. :eh:

[Professor Chaos]

I don't mean to try to single you out as being abnormal, because this is obviously quite prevalent among males. Your comment just motivated me to ask.

I agree with all the rest as possible reasons.


It's all good, man, I don't feel singled out. It's an interesting topic of conversation. Besides, I just posted a drool smilie in a playful response to Eva. While I admit the Catholic school girl thing does turn me on, I'm not exactly hanging posters of them in my office. It's not a major thing with me. I really couldn't care less about it.

There's probably some truth to what mastro says, as well. The whole "slutty" factor. But the whole "Catholic School girl" fetish is just that - a sexual fetish, so it's hard to really explain easily. Granted it's probably one of the most prevalent, and I'd venture to guess that more men are turned on by it than not. (I dare say you'd be in the minority there. I have no evidence to back that up and am not asserting it as fact.) Come to think of it, this is probably as good as one can do in explaining a sexual fetish. I wonder how the scat-play and "mascots in full furry animal costume" guys try to explain theirs...

[Professor Chaos]

And, no professor, you ain't getting a picture. :eh:

:mad:

[Rat Bastard]

:mad:

Deal with it! :bird::lol::lol: She's MINE ALL MINE to ogle! Buwhahahahahaha!

Seriously, it's a really neat little gray and dark red (maroon?) number, with black stripping. Especially fetching with that lacy, smooth blouse. And black panties.

[nkb]

Thong?

[nkb]

Come to think of it, this is probably as good as one can do in explaining a sexual fetish. I wonder how the scat-play and "mascots in full furry animal costume" guys try to explain theirs...
Now those are weird (not that there's anything wrong with that!).:P

[Rat Bastard]

Thong?

Naw, a little crotchless bikini number. She doesn't like "butt floss". She has the ass for it, though.

[Choobus]

I was just in japan where the school uniforms seem to include short skirts and thigh high "socks". Since the Japanese girls all looked very young to me it was hard to tell if they were underage or not, and so it just looked like there were loads and loads of hookers all over the place. A horny dude could get into a lot of trouble in a place like that. Maybe that's why GS stays in china and korea....


http://www.dannychoo.com/blog_entry/eng/1366/Japanese+School+Girls/

[marstosirius]

I was just in japan where the school uniforms seem to include short skirts and thigh high "socks".


Any idea if this is part of both public and private schools in Japan?

[Ross_videosprint]

With regards to signing a UK petition

I don't see the problem in doing so. It does no harm and it's for a good cause. It was a looong time ago though (like, a year?), I don't remember exactly what I was thinking at the time of signing.

I've been dwelling on that. I don't think I agree with it. I never thought about the fact that people outside of the UK could have a say in our democracy. It's nothing personal - I'm sure you're views are justified, just principle. I haven't made my mind up though, just my first thoughts.

[Choobus]

Any idea if this is part of both public and private schools in Japan?

it was everywhere

[marstosirius]

Wow, I suppose I never thought of that. Intriguing. Think that the school girl craze came as a result of globalization and the rise of the interwebs? That is to say that could have been a big deal to Japanese men, and when their porn hit the world, it brought on a global rise in the school girl enthusiasts?

I sure as shit know that the uniforms catholic girls wore in my school and others certainly left a bit to the imagination. They've relaxed it significantly since, but the dresses were to cover all the way to ankles. Pants were not lady-like, and thus not allowed.

[skribb]

I've been dwelling on that. I don't think I agree with it. I never thought about the fact that people outside of the UK could have a say in our democracy. It's nothing personal - I'm sure you're views are justified, just principle. I haven't made my mind up though, just my first thoughts.

It is a wee bit stupid.

Like voting in a country just because you have a citizenship there, but don't actually live in that country.

I shouldn't have signed it - I feel kinda stupid :thumbsup:

[Desillusioned]

Yes, I realize using "pedophilic" seems over the top, but that's what it feels like to me. I realize there is a huge difference between sexual attraction to a 3-year old and a 17-year old, but it's just differing degrees in my book.
Obviously, if I were 21 (man, those were the days), lusting after a 17 year old seems acceptable, but now that I am 41, it would be downright creepy.
If my wife were to dress up in a catholic school girl outfit, complete with pigtails (that's the stereotype, isn't it?), even though she is age-appropriate for me, it's still indulging in some sort of fantasy of doing it with an underage girl.

I don't mean to try to single you out as being abnormal, because this is obviously quite prevalent among males. Your comment just motivated me to ask.

I agree with all the rest as possible reasons.


Don't think she is an underaged girl.

Just fantasize that she want back to school to get some education *wink*

Also the professor chaos' post is right. Not hooking up with underage females is a recent development in history.