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I couldn’t agree more with Daniel Finkelstein (Children must not be shielded from real

life, JC November 2) that the birthright of every British citizen (including Charedim) is civic equality and equality under the law.

No child should be denied the right to have access to modern thinking, including that on evolution and sexuality.

If we believe that Muslims should integrate, then so must we. And if we are unable to integrate modernity into our faith then we will not survive as a people. The days of living in a hermetically sealed shtetl where isolation was the guarantor of continuity are over — thank goodness. Stan Labovitch

Windsor

Lord Finkelstein refers to some Orthodox Jews being concerned about the teaching of Darwin’s theory of evolution alongside what is commonly described as Creationism. He says one must make a choice. My choices are that, if one is teaching science or religion, all explanations should be put forward. Alternative views should invariably be put forward otherwise the child will end up with an unbalanced or defective understanding of the subject. The solution is for the parents to opt out of their children being taught science or religion but to choose other subjects.

Similarly the existence of homosexuality and trans issues should be recognised without it being endorsed or approved of. Laurence Kingsley

Surbiton, Surrey