U.K. May Scrap Single-Faith Schools
Christian schools may soon be required to ensure that half of their students are from different religious backgrounds, due to concerns that Christian-only schools "heighten community divisions."
The Chief Inspector of Schools Amanda Spielman told the Sunday Times: “Admission 100% on faith leads to increased levels of segregation within communities,” she said. “I am uncomfortable with anything that leads to increased segregation.” Her remarks follow alarm about the existence of “parallel communities” living separate lives in parts of Britain. Sir Nick Weller, head of an academy chain in West Yorkshire, said it was “unhealthy” for a city such as Bradford to have two communities living “separate lives” and for children already segregated along ethnic or religious lines to be educated at different schools. Some state schools in Bradford are dominated by Muslim children, many of Pakistani heritage, and others by white children. In 2016 Ofsted found that more than 500 schools in England were either 100% white or 100% ethnic minority. Sir Michael Wilshaw, then chief inspector, said children in monocultural schools might be at risk of growing up vulnerable to radicalization or alienation. The requirement would apply to Jewish and Muslim schools, as well. Sources: Premier, Christian Post, Sunday Times, and Telegraph