In a recent court ruling, Michaela Community School in London will continue to uphold its ban on prayers during the school day, following a legal challenge by a Muslim pupil. The decision comes after the pupil argued that the ban infringed upon their right to practice their religion freely.
The school, known for its strict disciplinary policies and traditional approach to education, has maintained that prayer during school hours disrupts learning and goes against its ethos of academic excellence. Despite this, the pupil's legal team contended that the ban was discriminatory and violated their religious rights.
Michaela Community School, housed in a seven-storey office block in Brent, has transformed the lives of thousands of children. Its strict ethos and teaching yields top GCSE and A-level results that open the door to Russell Group university places for most of its leavers.
Now, Ms Birbalsingh has a message for prospective parents: “If parents do not like what Michaela is, they do not need to send their children to us.”
High Court judge Mr Justice Linden concluded on Tuesday the ban did not interfere with the student’s rights and was “proportionate” amid the school’s aim to promote an ethos of inclusivity and social cohesion.
Katharine Birbalsingh, the school’s founder and headteacher, said: “A school should be free to do what is right for the pupils it serves.
“The court’s decision is therefore a victory for all schools.
“Schools should not be forced by one child and her mother to change its approach simply because they have decided they don’t like something at the school.”
He concluded that the prayer ritual policy was “proportionate” and its aims and ability to achieve them “outweighs” any “adverse effects” on the rights of Muslim pupils at the school.
The student and her mother said through their lawyers that they were upset with the ruling.
“Even though I lost, I still feel that I did the right thing in seeking to challenge the ban,” the girl said. “I tried my best and was true to myself and my religion.”
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