School told to drop its 'offensive' saint's name

News.Telegraph ^ | 05/11/2004 | Liz Lightfoot, Education Correspondent

[Ginifer]

A C of E school has been told to drop the word "saint" from its name in case it offends other religious groups.

The practice of calling schools after saints or bishops alienates people from other faiths and non-believers, say officials and councillors in Islington, north London.

Head teacher John Stewart: 'There is no reason why we should change our name'

The row is over the name of the first Church of England secondary school to be built in the borough, which lost control of education five years ago after Ofsted found it was running some of the worst schools in the country.

Islington council plans to incorporate the existing St Mary Magdalene Church of England Primary School into a new City Academy for five- to 18-year-olds.

The church, which is giving £2 million towards building costs, has been told by the local authority - a partner in the scheme - that the name of the new school cannot be religious.

James Kempton, children and young people spokesman for the council's ruling Liberal Democrat party, said a consultation had been launched because of concerns over the use of the word "saint".

"We want to create a school that is open to everybody in the community, not a school that selects through the back door," he said. "We need to ensure this is a school which is appropriate for Islington in the 21st century.

"Church-going is now a much less significant part of people's lives."

Parents, governors and teachers at St Mary Magdalene, however, are determined to keep the name. John Stewart, the head teacher, said: "We have been serving the community in the area since 1710 and there is no reason why we should change our name.

"The name makes our Christian ethos clear to everyone and there are plenty of Church of England schools named after saints in Islington and elsewhere which take children from many other faiths or none who want the education and ethos we offer."

The council has suggested that the school be called the Islington Academy or the Barnsbury Academy. The London Diocesan Board says that if the new school is to have a new name, it should be "Magdalene Academy", which would still denote a Christian ethos.

Most parents want to keep the existing name, however. Kate McMurdie, 33, said dropping it would be "ludicrous" and offend parents who took their religion seriously. Karen Hicks said that it would take away the school's identity and make it like any other.

Tom Peryer, the London Diocesan Board's director for schools, said there had been a long history of hostility towards faith schools in Islington.

A spokesman for the Board of Deputies of British Jews said the Jewish community would have no objection to the school being named after a Christian saint. "We live in a multi-cultural country," he said.

A referendum held by the council in 2001 found 98 per cent of parents wanted a new secondary, of which 41 per cent wanted it to be a Church of England school.

[Freedom4US]

"We need to ensure this is a school which is appropriate for Islington in the 21st century."

So much is said by what is not said. When schools were schools, it was a given that it was the students who needed to ensure that they were appropriate, not the other way around. That's what education is.

[SunnySide]

"A C of E school has been told to drop the word "saint" from its name in case it offends other religious groups." ----------------------------------------------------------- "other religious groups" = PC code for secularist groups whose goal is to strip God from humanity. It'll be a cold day in H*LL when that happens. God says, "Can ya hear me now?"

[mtbopfuyn]

Saint Colgate of the Immaculate Teeth

[SkyPilot]

They could change their name to:

"Moon-god-worshipping-fanatics-who-murder-innocents", or something like that.

[verity]

From the nation of chinless people with bad teeth.

[tonycavanagh]

Thanks, I think its a good idea to try and tone down these British American flame wars.

Especially at this moment when both British and American boys are getting ready for the assault on Falluja.

Those three black watch soldiers killed yesterday were part of the detachment sent North to support your lads in the assault.

Prayers and thoughts for all our lads

Tony

[tonycavanagh]

I think its a good idea to try and tone down these British American flame wars.

Especially at this moment when both British and American boys are getting ready for the assault on Falluja.

Those three black watch soldiers killed yesterday were part of the detachment sent North to support your lads in the assault.

Prayers and thoughts for all our lads

Tony

[jocon307]

I think we ought to send Ralph Reed over to England, stat! They need their own Chrisitan Coalition before it's too late.

[Vicomte13]

Please, what is a greebo?
Years ago I heard a Brit in Paris refer to one of our bosses as a "greebo".
It has bothered me since.

[Tai_Chung]

Will the new school be allowed to teach the UK national anthem?

God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the Queen!

O Lord our God arise,
Scatter our enemies,
And make them fall!
Confound their knavish tricks*,
Confuse their politics,
On you our hopes we fix,
God save us all!

Not in this land alone,
But be God's mercies known,
From shore to shore!
Lord make the nations see,
That men should brothers be,
And form one family,
The wide world o'er.

From every latent foe,
From the assassins blow,
God save the Queen!
O'er her thine arm extend,
For Britain's sake defend,
Our mother, prince, and friend,
God save the Queen!

Thy choicest gifts in store,
On her be pleased to pour,
Long may she reign!
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause,
To sing with heart and voice,
God save the Queen!

God grant that Marshall Wade,
May by thy mighty aid,
Victory bring,
May he sedition hush,
And like a torrent rush,
Rebellious Scots to Crush,
God save the King.

[tjwmason]

From the nation of chinless people with bad teeth.

So how many state-funded Church school are there in the U.S.?

[tonycavanagh]

re : I think we ought to send Ralph Reed over to England, stat! They need their own Chrisitan Coalition before it's too late.

Thanks for the offer but no.

Its nice to see so many Americans worry about my country, but I would say go where you are needed.

Once again thanks for the offer.

Tony

[tjwmason]

The Brits went Godless so many decades ago.

Yeah, we're so Godless that we have Bishops sitting in Parliament; we're so Godless that we still have many state-schools with daily prayers; we're so Godless that we have state-funded Church schools (the number is actually rising). Shucks, what a pity we're not like good old religious America where there are law suits to remove a tiny cross from a city's seal. < /sarcasm >

[dennisw]

Maybe you can have your Muslims build you a "Muhammad the Prophet" academy on that spot. Lefties and commies have a thing for Islam.

[tjwmason]

the fact that the C of E believes fanatical and militant Islam will be offended by it.

Now shall we actually try reading the article before spouting forth nonsense.

The Church does not want to change the name; Islington Borough Council does.

By the way. Did you notice that this is a Church-school, that is a school funded by the state (with some capital costs coming from the Church) which has a distinct Christian ethos. How many of those have you got in the U.S.?

[Happygal]

This is your bailiewick!

[Samwise]

Woof!

[philetus]

Don't let them bother you Tony.

[tonycavanagh]

A population of 2% does not a muslim threat make as for the commies they have there own war with the Muslims Chechnya Northen east provinces of China.

Nice to see even while British boys and American boys are fighting together in Iraq all the Brit hating freepers cant stop hating and trashing Britain.

[Samwise]

With you in the beginning, with you in the end.