A Labour-run London council has become the first nationwide to allow its schools to opt out of providing Christian assemblies.
State-funded non-faith schools are required by law to offer a daily act of worship which must be “wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character”, unless granted special dispensation by the local authority.
But Brent Council in north-west London has used that loophole to offer all its schools an opt-out, encouraging them to take up the option and replace Christian worship with multi-faith assemblies, the Mirror has reported.
Its approach has been lauded by the Accord Coalition, an alliance of religious groups, humanists, trade unions, and human rights campaigners who lobby against faith schools, which has recognised Brent Council in its Inclusivity Awards 2017.
Chair of the judging panel, Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Romain MBE, said: ”Society may be Christian-based but is multi-faith with many also of no belief-system, and so uniform worship should no longer be compulsory for our educational system. READ MORE
