What possible evidence does Ofsted chief have to suggest religious extremists are 'perverting' education?
Chris Allen, University of Birmingham British schools are being used to “indoctrinate” students with extremist ideology, claims head of Ofsted, Amanda Spielman. In a recent speech, Spielman, the UK government’s chief inspector of schools and head of its education inspectorate, said that religious extremists are trying to “pervert education”. She suggests they are doing this by narrowing children’s horizons, isolating and segregating them, while simultaneously indoctrinating their “impressionable minds”. Only a few years ago, much the same was being claimed as part of the Trojan Horse scandal in which a group of conservative Muslims were accuse d of working to take over a number of schools in Birmingham. While extremism of any persuasion has no place in any British school, Spielman’s comments – like the Trojan Horse allegations – do not appear to be backed up by evidence. And much like David Cameron, the prime minister at the time, it would also seem t...