Parents should not be allowed to withdraw their children from religious education classes to prevent them from learning about Islam because the move could spark a "dangerous" precedent, according to the Church of England.

(REUTERS / Olivia Harris) Children arrive for class at Brampton Manor School in London June 30, 2011.

Some parents with "fundamentalist" religious beliefs are exploiting the human rights legislation to pull their children out of RE classes so that the students will not be able to learn about the Muslim faith, said Church of England's RE policy lead Derek Holloway. He said the right to do so could be misused by people who want to spark religious animosity, the Telegraph relays.

"Sadly, and dangerously, the right of withdrawal from RE is now being exploited by a range of 'interest groups' often using a dubious interpretation of human rights legislation," said Holloway in a blog entry posted on the Church of England's Facebook page. "The right of withdrawal from RE now gives comfort to those who are breaking the law and seeking to incite religious hatred".

Holloway said RE lessons and other classes in school are instrumental in their fight against extremism. He also explained how these subjects can help develop community relations. He added that youngsters can learn how to get along with those from other faiths by learning about other religions.

The Church of England believes that the legislation which allows parents to pull their kids out of RE lessons should be repealed and that children should be required to attend these classes. He said such gatherings help prepare children for their "life in modern Britain."

Meanwhile, two Welsh students have started a petition to scrap the requirement for schools to hold group worship. Rhiannon Shipton, one of the petitioners, said they are calling on the Welsh Assembly Members to put a stop to the "unnecessary" reciting of the Lord's Prayer during their assemblies, the National Secular Society reports.

Shipton explained that their petition is not an attack on religion and that they believe people are entitled to their own beliefs. However, they think that collective worship is a waste of time for atheists and other students who belong to other religions.