The president of the Comunidad de Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre, stated yesterday that the government "would under no circumstances" question the freedom of schools to implement their own rules, provided they "respected and supported" the regional executive's norms.

Aguirre was referring to yesterday's a vote by the school council at the Instituto Camilo José Cela de Pozuelo in Alarcón, which ratified the school's earlier decision not to allow pupils to wear headgear, including, in this case, the moslem veil.

The president did not make any specific reference to the controversial case in Alcorcón, but said "loud and clear" that the government "respects and supports the rules made by each and every school council", underlining that it was not the government's place to interfere in the running of an individual institution, provided it was being done within the norms laid down by the regional executive.

Aguirre made it clear that the Comunidad de Madrid give "autonomy" to schools and colleges in matters of internal rules and management decisions and that this autonomy then has to be respected by the government, as well as by the pupils, the staff and the parents at each individual centre.   In her opinion, this is the only way to "guarantee a happy environment and the success of the educational aims".

The president made these comments to the press after officially opening the new Santamarca college, in the Chamartín district of Madrid, and after her tour of the college, where 460 students will now study, some of whom are immigrants, but none of whom were wearing any religious headgear.