Jonathan Guthrie, "Critics attack plan for Christian academies" (2005)

Critics attack plan for Christian academies
> <font>By Jonathan Guthrie
> Published: July 2 2005 03:00 | Last updated: July 2 2005 03:00<span>
> <img height="20" alt="" src="http:/news.ft.com/c.gif" width="1"/>

Bob Edmiston, a multi-millionaire car dealer, plans to set up two "Christian ethos" academies in the West Midlands, largely funded by the state, where creationism would be taught alongside evolution in science lessons. One is being built and Mr Edmiston applied this week to build a second.

Such initiatives are unpopular with proponents of secular education, who say the city academies initiative, under which wealthy donors can have a say in a curriculum, is being exploited for doctrinaire purposes. In October, protesters derailed plans for a £22m academy in Doncaster backed by Sir Peter Vardy, the multimillionaire car dealer and evangelical Christian, where creationism would have been taught.

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers, a teaching union, said: "By becoming an academy sponsor you have an opportunity to promulgate a narrow, fundamentalist and . . . repressive religious standpoint."

Mr Edmiston, who donated £10m of his profits of £18m to charity last year, is abroad but Steve Chase, project manager for the academies, defended the initiative. "He wants Christian values [in these schools] because that is his personal experience and faith. Those principles are the basis of a good society."

Mr Chase said the emphasis would be on entrepreneurship and business. But he said: "Creationism would be mentioned in science along with other versions of the creation of the world, including evolution."

Creationism holds that the world was made as described in the Bible. This rules out the emergence of different species through natural selection, the theory most biologists believe. Ken Purchase, MP for Wolverhampton North East, said: "If people want to proselytise these crackpot ideas they should do so at their own expense."

The plans for the Coventry school have been approved by the city council but opposed by some Liberal Democrat councillors. The first Edmiston school, Grace Academy in Solihull, will cost the taxpayer £20m and Mr Edmiston £2m. It is set to open next year with 1,350 places for children aged 11 to 18. It will replace poorly-performing Whitesmore School. The second school would be in Coventry, replacing Woodway Park, which has a similarly mixed record, in 2008.

A foundation set up by Sir Peter sponsors two Christian ethos schools in the north and is building a third. Richard Dawkins, of Oxford University, an outspoken atheist, described the teaching of creationism there as "educational debauchery". However, the schools have high standards and are popular with parents.

Mr Edmiston believes Christianity demands fair dealing from adherents, and this helped him to succeed. He has made an estimated £300m, by importing and distributing Isuzu, Daihatsu and Subaru cars.