Are Islamic faith schools teaching right from wrong?

I would like to give you a quote from a publication called "Religious News Blog;"

Islamophobia
The term Islamophobia was launched in 1996 by a self-proclaimed “Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia.” The word literally means “undue fear of Islam” but it is used to mean “prejudice against Muslims” and joins over 500 other phobias spanning virtually every aspect of life. … The term presents several problems, however. First, what exactly constitutes an “undue fear of Islam” when Muslims acting in the name of Islam today make up the premier source of worldwide aggression, both verbal and physical, versus non-Muslims and Muslims alike? What, one wonders, is the proper amount of fear? - Islamophobia?

For some reason England seems to be at the forefront of problems with Islam and some of the situations they are facing could help us here in North America to prepare for the eventuality of seeing the same conflicts over here.

First of all, there is an inquiry to check independent faith schools because of government concerns that some do not teach children how to fit in with British society.

The review will examine the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils at small religious schools. It will look at whether children are learning to distinguish right from wrong, and are being taught to respect the law.

The anouncement by Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, yesterday is thought to be a response to recent criticism of some Muslim schools, or madrassas.

A report from the right-wing think-tank Civitas claimed last month that some Muslim children were being prepared to live in Muslim enclaves, distinct from the rest of society.

This follows a campaign by two Muslim governors to give Islam a greater presence in a state school played a key part in forcing a successful Headmistress from her job, the High Court found yesterday.

Erica Connor, 57, the former head teacher of the New Monument primary school in Woking, Surrey, was forced to leave the school because of stress after she was accused of Islamophobia.

The court was told that over two years, two governors campaigned to make the school more Islamic and that their behaviour had torn apart the school's governing board.

Ms. Connor was hounded out of her job and was awarded more than £400,000 in compensation.

The Daily Mail revealed that the school’s troubles started when a local mosque decided to pack the governing body with Muslims.

Paul Martin - a Muslim convert - and Mumtaz Saleem began monopolising meetings with the aim of turning New Monument in Woking into an Islamic faith school.

Mr Martin, a businessman, yesterday confirmed there had been a ‘conscious effort’ to increase the number of Muslims on the board.

But when Mrs Connor resisted the new governors’ plans - such as the introduction of Islamic worship into the school - she became the target of a smear campaign.

An anonymous petition was circulated among parents, stating that those signing ‘no longer have confidence in Erica Connor to educate our children in a way that respects and values our faith, culture and heritage’.

An accompanying document accused the headmistress of ‘racism and Islamophobia’.

She eventually retired from the 300-pupil school because of illhealth in December 2006.

(Ed. note; I am not going to comment on this story but I thought it important for you to know about it.)

Forewarned is forearmed!


Allan W Janssen is the author of the book The Plain Truth About God (What the mainstream religions don't want you to know......!) and is available as an E-Book H E R E ! and as a paperback H E R E !

Visit the blog "Perspective" at http://allans-perspective.blogspot.com