Overview

• Michaela Community School in London won a High Court case affirming its ban on prayer rituals, a policy introduced by headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh.
• The court's decision was based on the school's right to maintain a secular environment, despite arguments of religious discrimination.
• Critics argue the ban indirectly discriminates against Muslim students, who make up 50% of the school's population.
• Supporters, including Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, praise the ruling for reinforcing schools' authority to set their own policies on religious expressions.
• The case has sparked a broader debate on the balance between religious freedoms and educational policies in diverse communities.