The most frequent criticism levelled against them is that they underminesocial cohesion. And in the wake of the London bombings, thenot-so-subtle inference is that Muslim schools may in some way becontributing to division and unrest in society.
Yet of the 7,000 faith schools in England, only five are Muslim. Theoverwhelming majority are Christian, 36 are Jewish and two Sikh. Andwhile faith schools do pose a threat to social justice, it is notbecause of their religious teaching.
The problem with faith schools is that many use their selection processto cherry-pick the most able pupils. Witness the huge efforts that many(seemingly faithless) middle class families go to get their childreninto religious schools. The attraction isn't the religious teaching,it's the league table results.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
