To Pray or not to Pray

Recent press reports refer to a legal case against the headteacher and governors of the Michaela Community School in Brent, north-west London.

It seems that some of the pupils, about 50% of whom are Muslims, have been praying at break times, and encouraging others to join them.

The headteacher, Katherine Birbalsingh, and the goverors are being taken to court for stopping the playground prayers, which they fear could lead to bullying and social divisiveness.

You can read more from Sally Weale, Education correspondent of The Guardian.
Megan Manson also covers the issues for the National Secular Society.

Polly Toynbee, in The Guardian, draws attention to the need to reform the legal requirement to hold a daily act of Collective Worship in every state funded school.

It could be argued that requiring a pupil to pray, is forcing them to admit that God exists.