“It also serves as a useful reminder that claims of religious freedom do not trump all other considerations. If a school wishes to uphold a secular ethos, it should be entitled to do so.'
More coverage of our response to the #Michaela school ruling 👇
standard.co.uk/news/education…

Today's Michaela Community School ruling is a reminder that the right to freedom of religion or belief does not confer an absolute right to manifest religious beliefs. Schools can say no to unreasonable demands.
I'm quoted here in the Mail.
dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1…

I'm a signatory to this open letter calling on the education secretary to keep the faith school admissions cap.

It would be absurd for any government concerned about social cohesion to bring forward measures that make integration less likely.
secularism.org.uk/news/2024/04/n…

If some progressives think this is the way to beat the right I'm afraid they are part of the problem and allow them a platform they want to fight on. It is our ideas and narrative that we should use to win not banning others because we find it offensive

bbc.co.uk/news/world-eur…

Charity regulators 'assessing concerns' after @natsecsoc draw attention to three recently-registered charities that have referred to witchcraft, black magic and exorcism practices. Charities are supposed to provide a public benefit. This stuff is harmful.
civilsociety.co.uk/news/regulator…

'Where the manifestation of religion is deemed divisive or disruptive, a balance must be struck. We’re pleased the school’s actions have been vindicated.”

I'm quoted here for National Secular Society.
belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/educat…

Why are Brussels police closing down the #NatCon2024 conference? What's the justification?

I'm not on board with the National Conservatism agenda, but freedom of expression and association matter.
politico.eu/article/brusse…

Schools should be places where everyone feels welcomed and valued, but that doesn’t mean pupils should have untrammelled religious freedom. Where the manifestation of religion is disruptive or divisive, a balance must be struck. Today it has been.
secularism.org.uk/news/2024/04/s…

School’s decision to restrict prayer rituals lawful, court finds
secularism.org.uk/news/2024/04/s…

I know so many people who grew up near me whose families had to pretend to be religious in order for them to get into selective state church schools. It's just weird.

Then why do you force them by law to hold a daily act of broadly Christian collective worship?

Given the disruption experienced by #Michaela school, a ruling that the ban on prayer rituals was lawful is understandable – and welcome.
schoolsweek.co.uk/michaela-schoo…

Michaela school wins.

Ruling says the disadvantage to Muslim pupils was “outweighed by the aims it seeks to promote in the interests of the school community as a whole”.

A useful reminder that claims of religious freedom do not trump all other considerations.

It's so wild that people attend church just to get school places...and we have a school system that allows this to be a thing.

It doesn't make people religious 🙃

'I wouldn’t have been attending church if it wasn’t for trying to get Isaac into the school'.

Attending church shouldn't be a hoop you need to jump through to access your local publicly funded school.
inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyl…

Schools should be places where everyone feels welcomed and valued, but that doesn’t mean pupils should have untrammelled religious freedom. Where the manifestation of religion is deemed divisive or disruptive, a balance must be struck. Today we'll see if the court think it was.

🗣️Op-ed: Allowing more religious selection in schools would be a big mistake.

Abandoning the 50% admission cap would be a retrograde step – exacerbating the discrimination, disadvantage and division inherent with faith schools.
secularism.org.uk/opinion/2024/0…

'Abolish the Equality Act' is now a dangerous meme on the right. That sweeping phrase implies they want it to be legal again to pay women lower rates at work, and to discriminate on grounds of race. If they don't want that (I assume they don't) they should use different words.

High Court ruling on Michaela Community School “prayer rituals” ban is due today.
standard.co.uk/news/london/mi…