The state is just a method by which people act collectively. The people who act collectively include those people who prefer to have their children's education provided in a way which is in tune with their religion and culture.

If people who would prefer to send their children to secular schools feel obliged to send them to faith schools because they think they are better, then there is clearly something seriously wrong with the secular schools. It is hard to see how abolishing the faith schools would do anything to cure the malaise.

The argument that these type of schools contribute to prejudice and dissension in the community needs to be backed up by the kind of hardnosed research that has not been evident so far. This needs to separate out the other factors which are involved, which clearly pay a very major role in that kind of thing.