Coinciding with this week’s Queen’s Speech, the rabbi of the synagogue in the Prime Minister’s constituency, Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, has written to Theresa May to ask her to reconsider the Government’s proposal to drop the cap that prevents faith free schools selecting no more than 50% of their pupils from one particular faith.‘By all means let faith schools have a faith ethos, but do not fill up the classroom with children of just one faith to the exclusion of others. It would be inconceivable to do so on racial grounds, so why is it any less divisive to do so on religious ones?
‘When Michael Gove introduced the 50% cap for faith free schools in 2010, it was widely recognised as a progressive measure that benefited the pupils and promoted a more integrated society. There are those who are calling for the cap to be lifted – but they are focusing on their own self-interest, not the national interest – and their voices should be resisted.’
Last year the Government held a public consultation on ideas related to its September 2016 ‘Schools that work for everyone‘ Green Paper, which proposed to scrap the 50% cap. Many of the ideas in the Green Paper have been dropped since the Election. The Government was expected to soon issue a response to the consultation before the snap Election was then called.
