Why Christians should oppose the banning of Muslim prayer in schools

‘Britain’s strictest headteacher’ is in court over the decision to ban Muslim pupils from praying during their lunchbreak. Christians should defend the rights of other religions to pray, says Danny Webster

Should prayer be banned in schools? “Of course not!” comes the immediate reflex response, along with, “how can you possibly stop people from praying?” But it’s perhaps not such an obvious answer because schools are not the first place in recent months where prayer has come under legal scrutiny.

Prayer in the vicinity of abortion clinics in both England and Scotland is being restricted – although draft guidance in England suggests silent prayer might not be banned after all. It’s causing all sorts of preposterous questions being asked by the police about what’s going on inside someone’s head: