Excerpt:
Schools are being issued with guidance about RE trips after it emerged some parents are refusing to allow children to visit mosques.
Families have the right to withdraw pupils from visits to places of worship. Some cite costs, while others are concerned about safety or a 'political agenda'.
Now Staffordshire's Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) has produced a document to help schools tackle the sensitive topic. It includes a template letter to parents, outlining the value of helping pupils understand different cultures and faiths.
SACRE said requests to withdraw children from these activities was 'a serious matter'.