Parents in Essex are withdrawing their children from religious education lessons on Islam and stopping them from visiting mosques on school trips, a report for the council has found.
The trend has been uncovered in the area of Thurrock, a former stronghold for Ukip supporters, where a new report warns of “integration issues” within the local community.
The report, from the standing advisory council for religious education (SACRE), a body that advises on RE in schools, calls for the “nature and extent” of withdrawals to be investigated.
It says: “Parents have objected to the teaching of Islam and withdrawn children from lessons and visits to places of worship.
“The outcome [is that] those children, who arguably are those that most need to be taught about Islam, are no longer being taught about it.” [The Independent] Read more
