REGARDING the letter “Religious schools are real barriers” (November 23).

Britain really needs to decide whether it is a secular nation or whether it wants to allow religious communities to have their own schools.

If we want a more cohesive society, surely all pupils from all different communities should be taught under the same roof, as religious communities already have theological extra-curricular activities for their younger followers? For example, Christians have Sunday schooling, Muslims have Madrasahs and Jews have cheder (classes).

Personally, I believe that we do live in a multicultural society, and I think that religious schooling is detrimental to any sort of coming together of young people.

Religious schooling also isolates people from the mainstream and, in some cases, offers visions of the world that go against the established and general curriculum. Real multiculturalism isn’t about fragmented communities, it is about building a common civic thread that all communities can relate to.

Religious schools do not do this, despite their best intentions. Religious schooling is largely about controlling the intellectual and academic input of its pupils.

Steve Jones Morris Green