.... Two things are clear from what has been revealed at the group of schools recently re-inspected. The first is that most of them are excellent on the measure that Gove has so far regarded as critical, exam results.
The second is that a policy of marrying the school more closely to the local Muslim culture, which seems to have contributed to this success, is controversial. Some schools felt that engaging parents and governors in the school's life and work would avoid open clashes. This involved the risk of entryism which, in some cases, appears to have come unstuck.
[A COMMENT] The answer is simple, separation of church and state. All schools must be free of religious influence. For those parents who want religious training (brainwashing) for their children they should send them to Sunday school or similar facilities.
[ANOTHER] Running an English school in a community that is near 100% Muslim is exceptionally difficult and delicate.
Well this is the problem in a nutshell. This is why so many thought the kind of primary immigration that was going on for decades would be massively destabilising to the kind of society we had and aspired to. Race doesn'y come into it.
Polly Toynbee came close to advocating 'bussing' to ensure an ethnic mix in schools (although presumably not for the schools she and the likes of Dianne Abbott educated their children)... but given relative birthrates that can only ever be a short term fix. No wonder Scotland wants out. [Guardian Cif] Read more
