‘Compelled worship’? Lawsuit over Christian prayer in UK school sparks DEBATE

30 Jul, 2019 10:05 / Updated 5 years ago

A lawsuit targeting a UK primary school for holding prayer sessions and biblical re-enactments has divided public opinion. RT panelists sparred over the heated issue of religion’s place in education.

“We must make sure that our people have access to the culture, the history – including the Bible – of our civilization,” Chris McGovern, chairman of Campaign for Real Education, argued.

Others took issue with Christianity being taught in schools. Describing the case as an example of “compelled worship,” Luke Gittos, a lawyer and legal editor of Spiked Online, said that the state was imposing its religious beliefs on young Britons.

READ MORE: Sexism, segregation, squalor: Religious schools are undermining British values, says regulator

An atheist couple brought the issue to light, as they are taking their children’s primary school to the High Court, claiming that Christian-themed activities during assembly are unlawful. Believed to be the first of its kind in Britain, the suit argues that all children have the right to receive an education “free from religious interference.”

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