Sunderland AFC to open new free school for under-performing children http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/...chool-for-under-performing-children-1-7146133
I just assumed that this was designed as a perk for the players families having come to the conclusion that under-performance was a genetic trait
This will be the first school of it's type .......... but they're hoping to have completed 5 in a row by Easter
On a serious I do feel that the club are doing this with the best intentions, but surely any kids that attend such a school are going to end up being stigmatised..
This would half the crowd at the riverside. Half of them aren't allowed within 500 metres of a school.
On a serious note. The government are closing two free schools around wearside then this has been announced. I bet they could have got those schools upto scratch and performing by spending less than 10% of what this new stadium view blocker is going to cost
I'm dead against the principle of free schools anyway...They will just mean an increase of schools whose teachings will be dictated by religious bodies..
What role do they have in free schools? Are they affiliated to a religion? I still dont fully understand the concept of 'free schools'. ! Arent all schools free schools bar private ones where you pay term fees?
My wife is the principle of such a school, the free means it isn't tied to the local government and is run independently by governors. They can pick and choose the subjects they teach. So the Sunderland one will use sport and IT to engage student who feel like going to a normal college (ie Sunderland) will be like school all over again. Had to laugh at comment on some social media last night complaining about the football club using money for the school instead of players etc.... The foundation of light is a separate entity all together and will use the club name etc but not funded by the club.
Free schools can be taken up by any organisation, whether it be parent groups, football clubs or anyone else who can show they have the means of running one. However, the majority are being taken up by organisations affiliated to religions, so we are undoubtedly going to end up with Muslim, Jew, Hindu communities etc, taking advantage of this, and therefore further distancing themselves from the wider communities they live in..