Michaela School wins lawsuit over Muslim prayer ban

Photo byDan Kitwood/Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND -- Michaela School in Wembley will continue to foster a secular environment. The High Court in London struck down a challenge posed by a Muslim student, which sought to make the institution more inclusive of prayer during school hours.

Justice Linden provided an explanation for the decision in an 83-page judgment. “The claimant at the very least impliedly accepted, when she enrolled at the school, that she would be subject to restrictions on her ability to manifest her religion,” the judge wrote.

Michaela School’s head teacher, Katharine Birbalsingh, was one to celebrate the ruling.

“Schools should not be forced by one child and her mother to change its approach simply because they have decided they don't like something at the school,” the head teacher wrote on X. "If parents do not like what Michaela is, they do not need to send their children to us.”

Michaela School has a student population of 700. About half of the pupils who attend the institution are part of the Islam faith.

The student who sued Michaela expressed disappointment in the outcome. “As is set out in the judgment, I do not agree that it would be too hard for the school to accommodate pupils who wished to pray in the lunch break,” she shared in a statement.

“The school is very well run and generally very good at managing everything. The school doesn't wish to allow pupils to pray, has chosen a different path and the judge has found in their favour (sic),” the student continued.

"Even though I lost, I still feel that I did the right thing in seeking to challenge the ban,” the pupil said. “I tried my best, and was true to myself and my religion.”

Michaela School presently bans prayer in school due to its commitment to foster an environment that does not cater to religion. The student who filed the lawsuit did so in hopes of being granted permission to pray for five minutes during lunch time but not during instructional periods.