Schools accused of failing Muslims

Islamic leaders have accused state schools of failing to accommodate the wishes of Muslim children.

The Muslim Council of Britain criticised state schools for not organising sex education, changing rooms and assemblies to suit the Islamic sensibilities.
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They urged head teachers to build prayer rooms and individual changing cubicles and avoid scheduling exams during Ramadan, when many pupils are fasting.

The MCB said schools were not taking account of "legitimate and reasonable requests" from parents and pupils.

But the country's biggest heads' union warned that a long list of demands risked sparking a "backlash".

The MCB's calls followed a major Government review which said pupils should be taught core "British values" to promote good relations between communities.

The MCB said 96 per cent of Britain's 400,000 Muslim pupils were in state schools, although many are falling behind in class.

In a 72-page guidance document the MCB said: "Many schools in England, Scotland and Wales have responded positively to issues related to cultural diversity and to meeting the needs of Muslim pupils.

"However, others have not been receptive of legitimate and reasonable requests made by Muslim parents and pupils in relation to their faith-based aspirations and concerns.

"Many of these issues relate to aspects of schooling such as collective worship, communal changing, swimming, halal meals and sex education.

"It is essential that positive account is taken of the faith dimension of Muslim pupils in education and schooling.

"Unfortunately Muslim pupils are sometimes placed in situations where they feel pressured into acting contrary to their beliefs and conscience and also experience Islamophobic sentiments and comments within schools."

The MCB guidance included a list of areas which can cause problems for Muslim pupils, with the strongest concerns reserved for the issue of preserving children's modesty and dignity.

The document said: "In the vast majority of primary schools, when changing for PE, both boys and girls have no choice but to change in mixed group environments.

"Muslim children are likely to exhibit resistance to this sort of compromising and immodest exposure, but are often pressurised to conform to institutional norms which do not take account of their own or their parents' beliefs and values.

"Schools need to take account of, and be more responsive and sensitive to, the moral values of the children and communities they serve."

The MCB said schools could consider building "separate changing facilities that include individual changing cubicles".

And "naked communal showering" after PE lessons involves "profound indignity" for Muslim pupils, the guidance warned.

"Islam forbids nakedness in front of others or being among others who are naked. Muslim children should not be expected to participate in communal showering."

Sex education for Muslim pupils should include "Islamic moral perspectives" when covering issues such as sexual orientation and behaviour, the guidance said.

"Girlfriend/boyfriend as well as homosexual relationships are not acceptable practices according to Islamic teachings," the document said.

Sex education classes should be taught in single-sex groups, by a teacher of the same gender, and "the use of sexually explicit videos, pictures and objects" should be avoided.

The document also said that school uniform policies should allow girls to wear a head scarf and full-length loose skirt and that boys should be allowed to grow beards for religious reasons.

School caterers were urged to provide halal meals, storing and preparing halal food separately, and labelling it clearly in canteens.

The MCB said state schools with a majority of Muslim pupils should apply for exemption from the legal requirement for daily collective worship of a mainly Christian character.

Head teachers warned that meeting any list of "demands" would pose major practical difficulties for schools.

Mick Brookes, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "Schools are trying to create societies within their walls which are tolerant and celebratory.

"I just worry that if the list of demands - if it is a list of demands - is too much, that it will simply create a backlash.

MCB secretary general Muhammad Abdul Bari said: "Many of our schools have a cherished tradition of fostering an inclusive ethos which values and addresses the differences and needs of the communities they serve.

"We are convinced that with a reasonable degree of mutual understanding and goodwill, even more progress can be made.

The PDF document on the MCB site states...

* Muslim boys should be covered between navel and knee
* Muslim girls should wear loose clothes covering everything apart from the hands and face.
* Muslim boys should be allowed to grow beards.
* Both should be allowed to wear amulets on necklaces which must not be considered as jewellery.
* School uniform policy should include the requirements of the muslim dress code.
* School meals should include the provision of Halal food.
* All kitchen staff must receive training on how to handle Halal food.
* The equipment and utensils used to prepare and store Halal food must not be used to prepare non-Halal food.
* Schools must make provisions for the five daily prayers.
* Schools must provide for Friday congregational prayers onsite.
* Schools must provide a prayer area and washing facilities nearby.
* Schools must adapt toilets to include washing areas.
* Schools have a written policy for the requirements of Ramadam.
* Staff must have Ramadam awareness training.
* Schools must recognise and celebrate the spirit and values of Ramadam through collective worship, assembly themes and collective breaking of the fast.
* Schools must not schedule exams to coincide with Ramadam.
* Schools must not schedule sex and relationship lessons or swimming during Ramadam.
* Fasting children should avoid over-demanding exercise.
* Schools should not hold parents' evenings or other social events during the month of Ramadam.
* Muslims entitled to free school meals should be given free packed lunches to take home instead.
* Schools must grant Eid holidays as authorised absences.
* Schools must recognise and celebrate the two Eids and other Islamic festivals in collective worship and assembly themes.
* Schools should celebrate Eid by handing out sweets and making the school dinners Eid dinners.
* Schools must have a policy for PE incorporating Islamic dress codes.
* Primary schools must build separate changing areas for boys and girls.
* Secondary schools must build individual changing and shower cubicles.
* Schools must make provision for seperate swimming lessons for boys and girls and provide a teacher of the same sex for each gender class.
* Schools unable to provide sex segregation must allow muslim pupils to use local community pools instead.
* Schools must allow muslims to withdraw from dance classes.
* Schools must ensure contact sports classes are sex segregated.
* When drawing up the Religious Education timetable, schools must take into account the religious make-up of the pupils.
* Schools must provide adequate religious material to muslims.
* All muslims must be given the opportunity to study Islamic Studies.
* Schools must allow parents to withdraw their children from RE lessons.
* Schools with a very high muslim population must have daily collective Islamic worship.
* Schools must ensure muslim pupils do not actively participate in collective worship other than Islamic worship.
* Sex and relationships lessons are taught in single sex groups with a teacher of the same gender.
* Schools must inform parents and community groups of all sex and relationships lessons and translate content into other languages.
* Sexually explicit videos, pictures and objects must be avoided.
* Schools must allow parents to withdraw pupils from S&R lessons.
* Schools must provide Arabic and other relevant language lessons.
* When a modern foreign language is introduced at primary level, muslim pupils must be allowed to study Arabic instead.
* Schools must avoid forms of music and drama which could raise muslim concerns.
* In schools with high muslim populations, Quaranic recitations and composing and singing of nasheeds should be offered in music lessons.
* Schools must ensure libraries provide resources on Islamic faith, culture and civilisation.
* Schools must accommodate muslim dietary and prayer needs when organising trips.
* Schools must organise overnight trips in single gender groups.
* Schools must ensure events outside the school do not compromise religious beliefs.
* Schools must ensure it has proportional representation of muslims in their governing bodies.
* Schools must ensure teaching and non-teaching staff have Islam awareness training.
* Schools must seek to have proportional representation of muslims in teaching and leadership roles.

Diana West had a good column Friday on the Muslim Council of Britain’s utterly outrageous list of demands—couched in leftist multicultural language—for the British school system: Imposing Islamic law.

Muslim Council of Britain Steps Up Islamization Effort

Muslim Council of Britain’s Shari’a Plan

"Of course these demands are not just unreasonable – they are downright impossible. And the Muslim Council of Britain must know that if they read even the occasional infidel's newspaper or have an ounce of sense in their bearded bonces.... But it's not really about getting what they want – it's about making a lot of noise and nuisance and promoting a sense of grievance among Muslims – to keep the anger and resentment simmering.