London - Integration Aside When Blair Opens Jewish School

London - Prime Minister Tony Blair came to the opening of the ultra-Orthodox girls school Yesodei Hatorah, but the irony was inescapable. A week earlier, the minister of education declared that religious schools must take at least 25 percent of pupils from other faiths into their programs. Indeed, at a time when the British policy of multi-culturalism is coming under intense scrutiny, Blair was at the opening of an institution of a community that has flourished under multi-culturalism.

Addressing a crowd of community leaders, Blair said that "a faith school is about people celebrating their faith, the faith they believe in and guides their life, but doing so in a way that is entirely compatible with being full members of British society. This is the right way for this balance to be struck.

‪The Jewish community in Britain, which comprises nearly 300,000 members, experienced some anxiety last week. As part of the new education program, the Blair government announced that faith-based institutions would have to include in their student population at least 25 percent pupils of different faiths.
Even though the education minister said this would apply to new schools that receive government funding, rumors circulated that this would be broadened to apply to private schools as well. And the Jewish communities became concerned that this would endanger their schools.
In Britain, there are more than 37,000 Jewish pupils, studying in 37 religious schools and receiving generous support from the government. These schools are committed to adopting a British curriculum and are subject to oversight by the Education Ministry.
In return, the schools receive up to 90 percent funding toward the building of the school and teachers' salaries.