Rabbi says “faith schools are damaging and divisive"

Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor didn’t quite get the support he was looking for when he invited Rabbi Julia Neuberger to give a talk in his “Faith and Life in Britain” series of lectures at Westminster Cathedral.

In reply to a question from the audience, the high profile Rabbi said that faith schools are damaging and divisive. Unfortunately, the solution that she recommends is not much of an improvement. “I want to set up multi-faith schools where children can learn about their faiths and those of others,” Neuberger said. “Normally secular schools don’t achieve that and faith schools are generally better. Faith education is generally important but deliberately segregating children is not the best way to create a harmonious society.”

Baroness Neuberger apologised to Cardinal Murphy O’Connor for her views. She did not, however, apologise to secularists and other people who don’t want schools to be centres of religious indoctrination – whether multi or single faith.
16 May 2008