I was brought up in a small white middle-class town and did not have the option of attending a multicultural secular school (usually found in bigger cities), so I completed my Primary (age 4 to 10) and some of my Secondary School (11-16) education in a Roman Catholic school, with hymns, mass and daily prayers (Our Father who art in Heaven…) and assembly (Biblical parables), as an integral part of our school life, with visits to the Church/Cathedral every Christmas and Easter. Our Sundays were saved for Islamic school, learning Quran, Islamic History, and other basic Islamic teachings.
I then attended a Secular Secondary School, where the emphasis was on drama, literature, community work and development of social and personal skills to “succeed” and after all that, we also had some lessons to learn/know about other faiths. I had a great time in both types of schools and I learnt a lot of things still with me today.
Now I see an increasing number of Islamic Schools spreading out across the country “catering for the specific needs (religious and otherwise) of Muslim children”. The basic argument for those opposed to this is that it will isolate these children even more from society at large (some will go to extremes saying it’ll lead to indoctrination and fundamentalism) leading to an intolerant society. Others argue that if you can have Christian and Jewish faith based schools then why not Muslim?
Personally I think that Christian and Jewish faiths are both more secular aligned. I don’t think it wise to have Muslim school solely for Muslims, I think it better to have a School with an Islamic Ethos which will cater for all persons of the society, regardless of religion. Maybe its high time we Muslims gave something back and contributed to Society as a whole to make it better. At the very least I hope Muslim Schools will take the responsibility to show some stability in a shaky world, instil a pride of Human Culture and strong moral values in the generations to come. If that is achieved, I think it will be a legacy we can be proud of.
If you think they didnt gain anything from that or that they were so altruistric & selfless then just read your post ,you could be a catholic girl speaking on there behalf.if u r nick was not NISA …
I would prefer a catholic study in sunday school or muslim school & speak like muslim girl about values of Secularism of islam than other way out.
Dont underestimate the value of the charity & aid that christian funnel arnt we all from underdeveloped country bEHOLDEN TO CHRISTIAN BUSH… FROM PAKISTAN AFGHANISTAN TO here!
Iam not suggesting radicalism,but dont be oblivious of the effects of "sweet Talk " even normally used by “love” ing christians.
What we have build over 1500 years stand to be lost easily without vigilence
I don't think that faith schools contribute to an intolerant society. If they are having this impact, then there is certainly something wrong with their curriculum or those that are delivering it.
The curriculum and teachers should be teaching "about" the religion and how to practise it.....not that it is better than other faiths or that it elevates the follower to a station higher than the followers of a different faith. People have ample opportunity to develop these prejudices as adults.
The idea of having a faith school is to give a child a religious education as well as an academic one. This does not imply teaching them bigotry or intolerance.
Personally I am of the opinion that the majority of Islamic schools still fall short in some areas that I believe are important for the development of a healthy, all-rounded individual. It therefore goes that I would prefer to educate my children in Islamic schools for their elementary education and then transfer them to public schools to take advantage of the physical education and extra-curricular sporting activities that they offer.
Since I don't have children yet, my view is probably not complete.
KS; good post. Muzna is right on the mark. Muslim schools, in U.S., have not matured enough yet. There are areas for improvement. We have a Muslim school pushing to go to high school in Dallas. One problem with that school is that don't teach manners properly. Couple of people I know who've had to transfer their kids to regular kids saw them come home with teachers and principal's notes for months.
But there are more Muslim schools (even a university?) in Chicago, as it is the home of Black Muslims in U.S.). I wonder what is happening there? I haven't heard of any reports in the media refering those schools to any type of miscreant behviors or attitudes.
I think given time, these schools will improve. But, in the meanwhile, those are trying to start Muslim schools are approaching the whole issue from emotions and not from experience.
As Muzna said the schools should teach how to practice the faith and nothing beyond it.
I think the key here is morals and values and a healthy environment. I don’t see the need to be faith specific in the schooling system. I myself was educated in a so called secular school, yet had to recite the lords prayer and heard parables every morning in assembly. This neither added or detracted from my education. At this age the emphasis should be on morals only. Through listening to the parables and getting them verified Islamically from my parents I gained something in the way of values. But religious schooling Islamic or Christian should only be used when a child is mature enough to gain meaning from it. But the basics can be taught any time
I used to go to mosque after school for 2 hours every day of my life from the age of 5 until I was 16, this is where I learned the fundamentals of faith….quite separate from my schooling. I don’t think I would have gained as much had I been indoctrinated from 9 till 5 in a Muslim school.
KN I understand what you are saying when you talk about creating a legacy, but I strongly feel it would be virtually impossible to get non-Muslim children enrolled in an Islamic school. The past 1000 years of crusading is testimony to this.
Say three hail Mary’s and one howz your father and come and see me for confession in the morning
Khairun Nisa,
I do not, personally, believe in any school to be a one hundrad percent faith school. If I go back to History, I see when western people uese to go to Beghdad and to other Muslim institutes to get their higher education in the schools run by the Islamic Governments and Muslims Organizations where they taught religious and as well as the technical education.