Clegg backs role of Church schools

CHURCH OF ENGLAND schools and the Archbishop of Canterbury have been praised by the Deputy Prime Minister and strongly defended by the Chief Education Officer, the Rev Jan Ainsworth.

Nick Clegg said he had ‘great respect’ for Justin Welby’s honesty in speaking out against homophobia and in taking action to combat homophobia in church schools.

“Justin Welby is right to denounce homophobia, be it here in the UK or in other parts of the world,” he told Pink News.

Nick Clegg also praised the Archbishop for giving an interview to Pink News, the first by an Archbishop of Canterbury to a gay publication. Publisher Benjamin Cohen said the interview was an ‘ important step’ in the Church embracing equality.

The C of E Chief Education Officer, the Rev Jan Ainsworth, has responded to comments by the Chair of the Independent Schools Association, Richard Walden, who has claimed state schools were failing to teach pupils the difference between right and wrong.

She described comments by Mr Richard Walden as ‘palpably absurd’ and said that Church schools were not alone in addressing moral issues.

“A high quality education is not just about what is taught in the classroom, but how the learning community itself is structured,” she said.

“Every day our teachers, often working with pupils from disadvantaged and challenging contexts, create a community where young people are able to learn by making mistakes and settling disagreements. They do a tremendous job, and I would welcome the opportunity to show Richard Walden why I’m so proud of them.”