Reproduced below is my latest blog for Conservative Home.

The University of Durham last year entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Iranian government's Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. The cosy arrangement saw the two promise to publish joint books, hold joint conferences, undertake joint research and exchange students and members of staff. In return, the Iranian government paid Durham £10,000. Worth the price of aligning yourself with probably the most obnoxious government in the world?

Government plans to teach basic sex education to primary school children in a bid to tackle teenage pregnancies and sexually-transmitted diseases have come under fire from a conservative Christian group.

National director of Christian Voice, Stephen Green, said that teaching young children about sex is "a wickedness" from a government that wants to see "a whole generation fornicating." He said the proposals would sexualise young children and only "encourage experimentation".

A new study has found that 'institutional racism' by teachers towards black Caribbean students in secondary schools can significantly undermine their chances of academic success.

There is evidence to suggest teachers routinely under-estimate the abilities of some black pupils based on assumptions of behavioural problems, such as confrontational attitudes, which overshadows the student's real academic talent, leaving teachers to expect students to under-achieve.

Today's decision in the High Court has given a 14 year old Sikh girl the right to wear a religious bangle in school. The judge found the girl’s school to be guilty of indirect discrimination as well as breaching race relations and equality laws. The judge further rejected claims made by the school that the bangle could be seen as a ‘symbol of affluence’ stating:

"In this case there is very clear evidence it was not a piece of jewellery but to Sarika was, and remains, one of the defining focal symbols of being a Sikh."