Britain’s so-called “public” schools for girls, which are the equivalent of private schools in the United States, discriminate against Jewish students, it was found here today in a study conducted for the London Evening Standard. The same writer made a study of bias in “public” schools for boys, last year, finding that the results “did not show up our tradition of educational tolerance in a very favorable light.”
At the Sherborne School for Girls, in Dorset, the writer found an attitude “uncompromissing, to say the least, on the matter.” He quoted the headmistress of the school as asserting: “Every girl who comes here must take part in our religious program. We cannot accept girls who are unable to take part in our services, and there are no facilities here whereby a practicing Jew can worship on her own.”
While many Jewish parents, states the writer, complain that they find it difficult to get their girls into local public school, the two Francis Holland schools in London “operate a vigorous quota of 10 percent of Jewish pupils.” Officials of St. Paul’s Girls School refused to make any comment on the issue, according to the writer. The Channing School, in North London, said it is entirely non-sectarian and accepts a large proportion of Jewish girls. Two other schools canvassed are institutions aided by public grants and are not permitted to discriminate against students on any grounds.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
