The minister believes that girls attending Eton is a step in the right direction.
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Eton College should allow girls to attend, according to the secretary of state for education.
The elite independent school is over 500 years old. Despite this, it has never permitted girls to attend in its long history.
Gavin Williamson said the change would be a “good step forward”.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, he said he was “very much in favour of Eton taking girls”.
The discussion arose amid an ongoing row at Eton. This week, the school sacked a teacher who planned a lesson on gender roles.
However, Williamson’s cabinet colleague, Jacob Rees-Mogg, disagreed with his point of view.
Rees-Mogg, who went to Eton, said: “Much though I might like my own daughter to go there, I think it works very well as it is, thank you very much.”
The official spokesperson for the Prime Minister also commented on the discussion in a briefing to journalists.
He said, “I think also what [Gavin Williamson] said was this was a matter for Eton as an independent school who are responsible for their own admissions policy.
“We’ve said consistently that single-sex schools are an important part of our diverse education system.
“It’s right that parents have the opportunity to make decisions about the type of school that their children attend.”
The spokesman continued to say that the Prime Minister would support the decision if Eton were to become a mixed-sex school.
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HeadlineEducation Secretary: “Eton should accept girls”
Short HeadlineWilliamson: Allow girls at Eton
StandfirstThe secretary of state believes that the change would be a "good step forward".
Eton College should allow girls to attend, according to the secretary of state for education.
The elite independent school is over 500 years old. Despite this, it has never permitted girls to attend in its long history.
Gavin Williamson said the change would be a “good step forward”.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, he said he was “very much in favour of Eton taking girls”.
The discussion arose amid an ongoing row at Eton. This week, the school sacked a teacher who planned a lesson on gender roles.
However, Williamson’s cabinet colleague, Jacob Rees-Mogg, disagreed with his point of view.
Rees-Mogg, who went to Eton, said: “Much though I might like my own daughter to go there, I think it works very well as it is, thank you very much.”
The official spokesperson for the Prime Minister also commented on the discussion in a briefing to journalists.
He said, “I think also what [Gavin Williamson] said was this was a matter for Eton as an independent school who are responsible for their own admissions policy.
“We’ve said consistently that single-sex schools are an important part of our diverse education system.
“It’s right that parents have the opportunity to make decisions about the type of school that their children attend.”
The spokesman continued to say that the Prime Minister would support the decision if Eton were to become a mixed-sex school.
