A new religious syllabus for schools has caused a fury among church groups and politicians after recommending teachers cut down on education about Christianity while increasing lessons in Islam and Hinduism. Teachers in Buckinghamshire were directed to spend 40 per cent of religious education on Christianity, while giving Islam and Hinduism equal play at 20 per cent each. Just ten percent was then to be devoted to other religions - including Judaism - with a final ten per cent on "general concepts". It was recommended that younger children receive just 36 hours per year of religious education, with that number upped to 45 in the lead up to the GCSEs. However when the lack of time devoted to Christianity sparked protests, Buckinghamshire education authorities reportedly removed those numbers from official documents.
Councillors accused authorities of a cover-up, saying that while the need to teach children about other world religions is obvious the lack of education on Christianity in a Christian country was going too far.
However the Buckinghamshire County Council reportedly hit back saying the changes would not impact taxpayers as printing errors meant the document had to be redrafted anyway.
Oh. Well then. Never mind.
The council also insisted Christianity remained the focus of the syllabus, and insisted the new policies provided flexibility for the schools and promoted goodwill, seeking to inform rather than influence children.
As long as they hit their target numbers.
However critics reportedly insisted the nation's religion was being turned in to a sideshow in the name of political correctness.
I thought it was being rendered non-existent, and I thought ArchDruid Williams was leading the way.