I INVITED Katharine Birbalsingh to my constituency after hearing her address the Conservative conference.
It was 14 years ago, and already she was known for being inspirational and controversial.
As I recorded in my diary at the time, I found her “eloquent, intelligent and passionate.”
So it’s no surprise that she went on to found and lead Michaela Community School, a free school in East London.
That was 10 years ago, since when the school has been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, rivalling the best schools in the country for exam results and university places.
It’s a remarkable record and has been achieved by a strict, no-tolerance code of behaviour in a secular setting, to which parents and students sign up before joining.
This, in a heavily multicultural area of London, scarred by deprivation.
It was inevitable, sadly, that in a country where success in education is regarded by some with envy, Ms Birbalsingh would draw unfriendly fire.
Why?
Because, for refusing to conform to the usual list of excuses, and applying some old-fashioned vigour, she’s enraged the educational ‘blob’.
Now she’s facing court after a Muslim student challenged the ban on prayers during the school day, saying it was discriminatory.
In fact, the school’s made strenuous efforts to mix races and religions.
Food is vegetarian, prayers from every religious denomination are banned and there is a clear set of rules for all to follow.
Ms Birbalsingh says that, for multiculturalism to work, everyone must make sacrifices.
Her school, so far, has proved her point.
It’s hard not to suspect deeper mischief at work, especially since there have been bomb threats and teachers menaced.
I’m right behind this courageous headteacher.
We need more like Katharine Birbalsingh and I hope she wins.