Hasidic school faced with closure for not teaching

Posted: Jul 16, 2017

An ultra-Orthodox girls’ elementary school in London may be forced to close after failing to meet government standards because it does not teach about homosexuality and transgender issues. The Vishnitz Girls School, a private elementary school in the London suburb of Stamford Hill, failed three consecutive inspections from UK’s Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) according to a report released last month. Although the school received a positive review in almost every area, it failed the inspection because “they do not teach pupils about all the protected characteristics, particularly those relating to gender re-assignment and sexual orientation.” The school, which has 212 pupils aged between three and eight years old, was rated as “good” by inspectors four years ago. But now the government may force it to close down. According to the Ofsted report the religious values of the school mean it cannot comply with government requirements. “The proprietor and leaders agreed that the school’s policy on the protected characteristics meant that the school could not meet these standards,” the report stated. ;