'Why punish us for making faith choice?'
Penelope Restorick, who lives in Peasedown St John with her husband Steve and their four daughters, who are aged 11, six and four year old twins, is opposed to any funding changes.
She told councillors: "As a family living in Peasedown St John, our catchment senior school would be Writhlington, a journey by coach provided by B&NES free of charge. However, we decided it would be more beneficial, both spiritually and educationally, if our eldest daughter attended St Gregory's. Therefore the transport subsidy she received is called "denominational".
"Had we decided Writhlington was not the right school based on education, teaching ability or school speciality and instead chose to send her to Norton Hill, she would have received a subsidy called Farepay, a subsidy at exactly the same value as the denominational one.
"We are asking for nothing more than our daughter would receive if she went to a non-faith school.
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"For some families the removal of this subsidy will end their right to choose their closest appropriate faith school. They are the families who earn just that little bit too much to be eligible for free transport, but not enough to cover the full cost of transport to school.
"It is for these families that I hope you seriously stop and consider whether their reason is any less valid than the reason any other parent makes to send their child to a non-catchment school?"
10 Comments
by FrancinesPerm
Friday, February 01 2013, 4:21PM
“Gosh, you are brave VV, letting your children mix with non-believers ;)”
by Viscount_V
Friday, February 01 2013, 3:54PM
“I don't get subsidised transport for my daughter Lilymaywebb and I'm pretty sure I'm more hard up than Penelope up there. Soon I will have 2 daughters of bussing age to pay for. £8.40 a day and rising. Let the church pay if they want their followers in segregated schools.”
by FrancinesPerm
Friday, February 01 2013, 6:50AM
“In 2009, my son was unable to attend the closest primary school to our home because we are not Catholics, and the school actively "discriminated" against him because I chose not to pretend to go to church purely to get my child into a school. The comments from the exec head of St Marks/Greg on the previous article about admissions if the council cut denominational transport says it all He said: "If this subsidy is removed, there will almost certainly be a drop in the number of Catholic pupils at St Gregory's. These places will be filled because St Gregory's is an attractive school but from where and by whom?" Local kids not good enough for you?
It is my own personal opinion that religion should play no part whatsoever in school admissions policy and in these dire financial times, local authorities should not be subsidising parents who make a choice not to send their children to their local secondary school.”
by Lilymaywebb
Thursday, January 31 2013, 8:32PM
“What is every one's problem with faith schools?this lady is getting subsidised transport,just like all those children that attend non catchment schools,why is she any less deserving?oh I forgot she is catholic,who cares.if this is all your have to worry about,I feel sorry for you.Good on her.”
by MoeXXX
Thursday, January 31 2013, 8:06PM
“Jediism is also a recognised religion and the nearest academy is on Coruscant, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far, away. How far are we willing to take this nonsense?”
by clarysage50
Thursday, January 31 2013, 7:18PM
“Having known some of the children who have attended these so-called 'faith' schools, I do wonder just what they are being taught - good behaviour has tended to be very low down on the list of attainments - this lady may well be better off sending her offspring to Writhlington or Norton Hill school..”
by Viscount_V
Thursday, January 31 2013, 1:38PM
“I pay £4.20 a day to send my daughter to a non faith school, have I been missing out on alleged free transport all these years?
Where's an understanding vicar or priest that can convert us all before next term?”
by MaryD
Thursday, January 31 2013, 1:27PM
“The arrogance of this woman astounds me, trying to get the state to aid her in brainwashing her children. Let the children go to a non-denominational school, and if they want to be Catholics when they are adults with rational minds of their own then all very well.”
by wheelie_bin
Thursday, January 31 2013, 10:48AM
“I don't think you are being punished for your faith, just for wanting us to subsidise it because your local school isn't good enough for you.”
by mopsus2
Thursday, January 31 2013, 9:53AM
“If faith education is so important to the Catholic Church, surely its congregations can raise money to help with the cost of transport to Catholic schools for those who can't afford it?”