Talk:National Society for Promoting Religious Education

19th century role

Controversies between "churchmen" and "dissenters" about whether tax revenues collected from English people of all religions should be used to pay for Church-of-England-only religious education prevented the establishment of any kind of real nationally-funded public education system in England for many decades, until rather late in the nineteenth century. This organization represented the "churchmen" side in that dispute... AnonMoos (talk) 11:02, 5 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, and the British and Foreign School Society represented the other side. What changes do you propose for the article? Kanguole 11:22, 5 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Something about how the voluntary private-funded schools were a somewhat inadequate substitute for true public education, the existence of which was for a long time blocked by religious controversies in which both organizations and/or their supporters played a very active role. I really wouldn't have bothered to mention it, except for the use of the word "proud" in the article -- the educational legacy is no doubt something to be proud of, but the political legacy includes more than a tinge of obstructionism, and is something which might not induce feelings of unmitigated pride when properly understood... AnonMoos (talk) 12:32, 5 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]