HC Deb 11 March 1919 vol 113 cc1116-7W
Mr. SIDNEY ROBINSON

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that in numerous cases during the War children of German parentage born in this country have been excluded from public educational institutions or deprived of other educational facilities; and whether he proposes to take any steps to prevent local education authorities and school authorities discriminating against children who are British subjects?

Mr. FISHER

My attention has been called to several cases of the kind mentioned, in which children of alien parentage born in this country were excluded on the ground that their admission in the then state of public feeling would have been prejudicial to the welfare of the schools. I sincerely hope that local education authorities and school authorities will now reconsider the matter, and that they will find it possible to admit these children to the benefits of the public system of education without prejudice to the schools. It cannot be in the interest of this country to treat as if they were enemies children who are British by birth, and to deprive them of the influences and associations which will ensure their growing up as loyal British subjects.