For a country to have a multitude of cultures can only promote division and separate religious education is likely to entrench this (‘Christian academy creates division’, LT July 9).
Ideally religion should be within the private sphere and schools should teach one curriculum to ethnically mixed classes.
Unfortunately we have to work with the situation we currently have and this includes faith schools of all persuasions.
The present problems stem from the fact that, in Blackburn, we have two major religions and the willingness to bend and accommodate has come mainly from Christianity.
St Wilfrid’s has, for some years now, not insisted on only admitting practising Anglicans but it is a faith school and, along with such as St Bede's, is entitled to select religiously qualified pupils before others.
If these schools are fully subscribed then it follows that they are unable to accept pupils who do not meet the criteria.
Simon Jones, as the Teachers representative, must be aware that white pupils are deserting Blackburn for their secondary education and have been for some years.
Their parents are showing that Jack Straw is correct when he states that integration cannot be forced by social engineering.
St Wilfrid's are not fiddling to compete for the "white high ground" they are trying to accommodate parents’ wishes.
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