STATE schools should be forced to open their doors to Islamic preachers teaching the Koran, the largest classroom union demanded yesterday.
The National Union of Teachers’ conference also said existing religious schools – almost all of them Christian – should have to admit pupils from other faiths.The union’s general secretary Steve Sinnott said that allowing Muslim imams to preach in schools would be a way to reunite divided communities.But the proposals prompted immediate outrage. Conservative Party backbencher Mark Pritchard said: “This is just further appeasement for Muslim militants.“We should just follow the existing laws on religious education, which state that it should be of a predominantly Christian character.
All this will do is further divide many communities that are already split on religious lines.”Speaking as delegates met at the hard-Left-dominated union’s annual conference, Mr Sinnott admitted that his plan would amount to religious indoctrination inside taxpayer-backed schools rather than simple teaching of what different religions believe.
He said: “This is more than simple religious education, it’s religious instruction.”The proposals include providing private Muslim prayer facilities in schools. But Mr Sinnott stressed that no pupils would be forced to have any religious instruction.The union, however, also called for all daily religious assemblies, which by law are supposed to have a Christian character, to be abandoned.It also said local authorities should take control of all state school admissions, removing the right of faith schools to choose which pupils they take.
Shadow Childrens’ Secretary Michael Gove condemned the call. He said: “Faith schools provide children with an excellent education because their distinctive ethos helps to instil good values and respect for others.”John Dunford, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, warned that extremists could seize control of schools, using religion to mask their real agenda. He asked: “How would you have any control over what was being taught in your school?”The Church of England also denounced the proposals.
A spokesman said: “It is for religions to teach their faith to people, it is for schools to teach about religion.”The Church was even joined by its long-time foe, the National Secular Society. A spokesman said: “If it is allowed, it will be the zealots imposing their will on everyone else.”About 7,000 state schools in England are faith schools – roughly one in three of the total – educating 1.7million pupils. Most are either Church of England or Roman Catholic.
see also Parents halt school mosque trip
3 comments:
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There is a little problem with this in schools though. We are as parents able to pull our children out of classes that we do not agree with like this. Though as I say there is a small problem with that. The schools do not tell you where or when they are going to do something like this. So you have to rely on your children to tell you what they are doing & when they do it. I have taught my children the evil of islam & I know it may be wrong but I have shown them photo's of the evil this cult of death do. So they are more than aware that islam is evil & never be tolerated. I have though taught them that it is not the person or race or colour that is wrong, its the religion of islam that is evil. I think that this is the best we can do with our children. Make them aware of the facts, show them the truth & proof & evidence. Hope that they tell us when this kind of thing is being done in there schools so we as parents can take them out of those particular lessons & tell the schools that under no circumstances are our children EVER to be included in any lesson like that about this evil cult again.
Parents halt school mosque trip
Parents have forced a school trip to a mosque to be abandoned because they did not want their children exposed to a religion that was not their own.
A class of 10-year-olds at Atwood Primary, Croydon, south London, were due to tour Croydon Mosque as part of their religious education lessons.
But a number of parents withdrew their support saying their children were too young to learn about other faiths.
The school said as a result the trip was no longer financially viable.
Head teacher Alex Clark said some parents did not want their children to experience a religion that was not their own, others thought the pupils were too young and some preferred them to spend time on other subjects.
It is important that children have a range of knowledge about cultures and religions to develop understanding and respect for each other
Head teacher Alex Clark
He added: "We very much regret having to cancel one of our Year 5 class's educational trips to the Croydon Mosque.
"It is important that children have a range of knowledge about cultures and religions to develop understanding and respect for each other."
Mr Clark said: "The withdrawal of a significant minority of pupils unfortunately made continuation of the visit unviable. This was done wholly on financial grounds."
Leaders of Croydon Mosque were featured speaking out against the radicalisation of young Muslims on BBC's Newsnight programme on 14 November.
Media attention
Shuaib Yusaf, a spokesman for the Croydon Mosque & Islamic Centre, said it has hosted a number of school trips in the past.
He went on: "It is therefore regretful that one school has cancelled a prearranged visit in light of the media attention currently focussed upon the mosque.
"Amongst the reasons cited to the mosque is that some parents do not wish their children to visit a mosque at the centre of "radical" activities.
"Croydon Mosque & Islamic Centre is an old established mosque that provides a range of community based services to 18,000 Muslims in the London Borough of Croydon amongst others, and is not engaged in any 'radical' activities.
"This is acknowledged by all concerned and the mosque is liaising with schools and the local education authorities to recommence school visits."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/england/london/6170028.stm
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