Religious Freedom in English Schools: Neoliberal Legality and the Reconfiguration of Choice

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The article discusses the topical topic of the connection between education, the state and faith. The authors attempted to show how the principle of religious freedom in education, originally enshrined at both national and international levels, was changed in neoliberal legislation. Freedom of religion is indeed a basic right of the individual. Religious disciplines must be, but they must be applied exclusively at the request of the customer of educational services. Unfortunately, the article does not present empirical studies in which it would be possible to compare religious schools in the longitudinal study with data on education in schools without religious education. It would be interesting to know how the success of people in the future who have been trained in religious schools and in which there is no such thing depends.

Author Response

Dear reviewer 1,

Thank you for your review. I noted that you were not quite content with the methodology and conclusions elements, and particularly lamented the lack of fresh empirical work. Given that this simply is not an empirical paper, I have sought to address these by (a) clarifying the methodology in the introduction (82-86), (b) making it clearer what kinds of empirical work might be valuable (496-500), notably around perceptions of the right, since my concern is less with attainment or the educational effects or benefits of different forms of schooling, and (c) making the argument stronger throughout, notably adopting your term 'consumer' for parents (419-420).  I attach a version with highlights for both reviewers, so that all the changes can be identified. 

Reviewer 2 Report

Dear author,

I read your article with pleasure and interest. It gives a good overview of the developments of the last decades on indeed the issue of the right to freedom and belief and the right to education in England. Of course, there is always sth to criticize! Just take notice of the following points.

The first sentence of your abstract is abstract indeed. What in heaven's name do we understand by 'neoliberal legal reconfiguration'? Maybe use some more down to earth words?

I miss as well a let us say methodological part. A more stricter formulated question: what exactly is your point and how did you proceed to get an answer? The overview of education-freedom-belief legislation in England makes sense, but it would be better if there was a clearer lead.

That is it. Success and thank you for your attention.

Reviewer X

Author Response

Many thanks for your review. I have attached a file will all the changes for both reviewers highlighted.  To address your concerns, (a) I have made the abstract less so (lines 4-8); (b) I have introduced a clearer question, (81-86), and identified the academic tradition being adopted, and made clearer recommendations for empirical research, in response to the other reviewer in the conclusion (497-501), and (c) in terms of where you have broadly indicated a need for improvement without being specific, I have sought to tighten elements along the way (throughout).