New Truro faith school will not teach gay 'nonsense'

“Mr rbest, I don't have a 'husband', how interesting that you assume I have one. Is this because you also assume that women are always married to men, or that women who live with men should marry them? What relevance does your newspaper's support of my partner's film have to my comments. You are only serving to prove my point. I didn't realise that the "What's On Section" was only for the support of people who adhere to your narrow world view.”

“Oh dear.
Yes my speeing is rubbish, but its a poor sign when you have to turn to being personal.
If you read my posts correcty you woud see that I am in no way bigoted. I just dont agree with you. It's that simple. No where did I say that peope who are Gay shoud't be treated with the same respect as others.
No where did I imply /say that I hate gay people. In fact I posted I have friends who are gay.
As for the support comment , again that is your opinion.
I also posted that I don't agree with all the teaching of catholosism. My post are about the shcool being free to choose and how bigoted gay peope who insist on their way is the ony way.
My posts are about people right to choose.
Unfortunatly people like you seem to want to make it al personal and get very inpleasant about how they go about it.
I support your right to be gay , doesnt mean i have to agree with you. Thats not bigotry its choice.
Have a lovely evening.”

“In much the same way that they adhere to their beliefs let them. However, don't tell me how to live my life. A bit rich coming from a faith that supports paedophiles in the priesthood don't you think ? Ah barrtribe you would do well teaching there. Your spelling & grammar let you down however. Your bigotted opinions would however fit right in.”

“Once again one section of society trying to force their beliefs on another.
Why go for an interview when their stance is known . Go for an interview somewhere ese.
Freedom of choice means that we all get to choose to what we believe to be true not to be dictated to by a minority with a very loud voice.
If your Gay then fine; thats your choice. That doesnt mean you can force others to throw away their beliefs and go against their conscience just because you dont agree with them, and you want everyone to agree with you.
People in all walks of life have things said that are insensitive and not scripted so as not to offend anyone.
If a person refes to themseves as Gay why are they offended when others do the same.
What about al the good things they are doing; do you want to throw the baby out with the bath water.
They are not the ony ones who dont agree with the Gay community's choice/stance. It doesn't make people Homophobic (which means a fear of). It means they dont agree with gays people's choice/stance. Funny enough we are aoud to choose not to agree.”

“Why do we always get those that don't read the article.

There is no mention of homophobia or hate.

It is a group of people who wish to maintain a set of values according to their conscience and beliefs.

No-one will be forced to attend the school if they disagree with their beliefs.

One has expressed his beliefs "Adhering to the Catholic religion is a matter of choice - being homosexual is not."
There are many debates around this statement but it is his belief and I am sure that he expects to be able to express that and out work it in his life.

Another says any education should be from a neutral perspective, and children should be taught to decide for themselves what they believe in.
No education environment is neutral; it all has an agenda. How can they choose if religious education is just a watered down, pay no attention add on to school life.

Choice is a big statement, but if you do not show there is another side to the argument or belief then where is the choice. Choice requires that all information is available to the one choosing.
I'm not a member of the catholic community but I am a Christian with gay friends; it doesn't mean i agreed with their choice yet we are still friends.
Just because someone doesn't accept another's values does not make them homophobic.
I applaud the catholic faiths decision to stand by their beliefs in the face of a world that wants democracy but only as long as it agrees with them.”

“The same principle should apply to state schools as it does to state teachers. There is no reason why the latter should not be Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Hindu, Atheist, Humanist or nothing, as long as they do not endeavour to convert their pupils to their beliefs. Of course this often proves a difficult objective. If overtly religious schools (and they often do very well academically) expect financial support from the state, it should be conditional on first undertaking not to be selective on grounds of belief, and second should be required to leave proselytising at the school (or church) gates. Children need to know about different faiths and how they developed. They need to learn respect and ethical conduct. But conversion to a particular religion is not the role of a state funded liberal education.”

“Phill innes, i fail to see what you are to benefit from this 'single person i will post on facebook protest'. Your response is due to a person that is no representative to the school (in addition there is no relevancy that you attended bassett) and the press' interpretation. All that you will achieve tomorrow will be to upset all the children attending the school that have not caused anything to warrant this disruption. Perhaps a more grown up alternative response is available!!”

“Amanda Rawling wrote: "What has got into the editor of The West Briton? It can only be a deliberate wish to be divisive that led to the publishing of the views of someone who does not even represent this school. If I was the head I'd be furious with you.

We all know people like Mr Simmons exist but we don't take any notice of their out moded nonsense, and educational policy does not support his views in any way. What was the relevancy of his comments? At least Mrs Sanderson somewhat, old fashioned as she is, has some reason to comment on how the school will be run.

The reason why I don't buy the West Briton is precisely because of this tone to the editorial, in fact in our house we call it The Fascist Rag. It's because of this kind of publishing and people like Mr Simmons getting far too much air time in Cornish media that we are so often regarded as a back water full of ignorant fools."

As the editor of the West Briton, I think I ought to answer one or two of your points.

Mr Simmons was one of three people at a meeting IN THE SCHOOL to which we were invited. The reporter tells me the head teacher was originally due to be at the meeting, but couldn't make it. She was therefore in the meeting with Mr Simmons, Mrs Sanderson and the priest, Chris Findlay. The head was fully aware that the meeting was occurring on school premises.

As far as you calling the West Briton a fascist rag, well you are entitled to your opinion. But I think your comment is unsubstantiated, unfair and, dare I suggest, more than a little sensationalist.

I am glad that you take an active part in our online community, even if don't buy the paper. And I'm told your husband likes to make use of the What's On section within the aforementioned 'fascist rag' to publicise his ventures. Sweet.”

“A story combining sex, religion and politics - all the subjects you are meant to avoid in the pub - what better to get people twittering? It is not more entrenched religious education that is needed but less. Have we not learned the lessons of Northern Ireland? The Cornish Nationalists will be asking for us (the general tax-payer) to pay for their school next. If "religious schools" are to be created in Britain in the 21st Century, it is their congregations that should be paying for them, not robbing the general and over-stretched education budget. Are the Conservatives so bereft of sensible policies that they have to rob our schools of playing fields with one hand, and give it to support superstitious belief with the other? Of course the "gay issue" is a complete "red herring". If that is the only justification for a new school that can be offered, it is a sad admission of educational failure before it starts.”

“Sorry Johnny I don't mean to insult, but Cornwall is often regarded as backward. Of course only by people as ignorant and uninformed as the people we are dealing with here. I do think that faith schools of every kind are a step backwards and we should have evolved to a point where our schools can happilly encompass children of all backgrounds. I am not personally comfortable with Catholism as many of my friends from Catholic backgrounds find acceptance of difference difficult and are often quite damaged by the harshness of the Catholic world view. In my philosophy bordering on faith, we must not deliberately do or say things to harm others, and that is the sum total of the 'rules' as it were. We should not need to be taught right and wrong, healthy people know what this is, and we risk being brain washed for other people's gain if we do not use our own hearts and minds to guide us.”