Video Recipes TV: All State Pupils may be taught Islamic Traditions Videos

Added: Dec 5, 2008

From: victimlesscriminal

Duration: 5:26

Daily Mail 19th July 2008State school pupils are set to be taught Islamic traditions and values in compulsory citizenship lessons.The move  -  part of a package of initiatives announced by Communities Secretary Hazel Blears yesterday  -  is designed to curb extremism. Education campaigners warned however against giving Islam a privileged position over other faiths. Other plans announced by Miss Blears also drew criticism  -  including a state-funded panel of Islamic scholars and theologians to provide community leadership. Pilot schemes will begin in October in London, Leicester, Birmingham, Oldham, Rochdale, and Bradford. David Conway, senior research fellow at the Civitas think-tank, said: 'Some will see this as another sign of a creeping process of Islamisation  -  an insidious process which plays down the Christian basis of our culture and encourages children to learn more and more about Islam's contribution. 'Muslims are still a relatively small minority in Britain and, while I have nothing against children in our multi-religious society learning about each other's faiths, for one particular faith to be privileged in mainstream schools seems to me pointless, and won't make for greater harmony. 'I fear it will play into the hands of the small minority who want to see the Islamisation of Europe, and believe they will triumph through sheer numbers.' Nick Seaton, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said: 'We should not single out one particular faith. Citizenship is supposed to be secular. 'Children can learn about particular religious values in religious education lessons. That's why parents have the right to withdraw. It's a very different matter to promote a particular faith's values as part of compulsory citizenship lessons. 'It seems to me dangerous to single out the one faith which is probably linked to the most problems with terrorism at the moment for special treatment.' Khalid Mahmood, project manager of Islam & Citizenship Education, stressed that the project was at a very early stage. He said: 'The material is being developed for the madrassahs but we are putting it together so that people in mainstream schools would also be able to use it.' Miss Blears announced details of the panel of 20 leading Muslim experts which will have £100,000 in state funding. Miss Blears insisted the new panel would be independent, adding: 'It is not for Government to dictate on matters of faith or religious teaching.' Dr Azzam Tamimi, of the Institute of Islamic Political Thought in London, said the scheme was doomed to failure. He said: 'This is a naive initiative. This is not how Muslim education or awareness works. 'When a Muslim individual seeks advice or knowledge he or she would usually go to a person they consider to be credible or an authority, and usually Muslims are suspicious of government-sponsored or organised commissions.' Dr Tamimi told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme ministers were trying to dictate to Muslims over religious awareness and education.My question to you is this: Is Communities Secretary Hazel Blears actually doing a double-bluff here? You know, Get the British Government and Educational authorities to take responsibility for teaching Islam and then Islam might go the way that Christianity has the UK has gone? Completely discredit all this Islam superstition, piss off all the Islamic clerics, divide and rule?Mmmm, interesting. Maybe she's cleverer than we think...

Channel: News

Tags: azzam  blears  christianity  conway  david  education  hazel  islam  khalid  madrassah  mahmood  muslim  nick  seaton  tamimi  uk 

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