Racism in Education

[IftikharA]

Western education is the home of institutional racism. There is no place for a foreign culture, language and faith in western education system. The problems of racism in the school system and wider society are permanent features of Western society and will become more entrenched and institutionalised. On this basis it is time to build a new kind of education, which can equip students with the necessary instrumental skills to participate in society; that does not prejudice experience of Muslim young people; and one that critically engages with the endemic racism present in British society. Developing an education from a Muslim critical perspective can be a part of mounting a significant challenge to the racism that lies at the heart of British society.

Speaking English does not promote integration into British, American and Australian societies, and broaden opportunities. English speaking Muslim youths are angry, frustrated and extremist, thanks to state schools with monolingual non-Muslim teachers and English language. English language is not only a lingua franca but also lingua frankensteinia. Human right are also covers linguistic right. Cultural and linguistic genocide are very common. British schooling is murdering community languages like Arabic, Urdu and others. English is today the world killer language. Linguistic genocide is a crime against humanity and British schooling is guilty of committing this crime. Language is not just a language. It defines one's culture, identity and consciousness. It defines how we think, communicate and express ourselves. The fact is the most South Asian Muslims have come to know Islam by way of Urdu, the children's alienation from the language that connects them the heritage of their parents and grandparents is disturbing. As a matter of fact, one has to get to know his mother tongue well if one is to master any other language.

“A good grasp of one’s mother tongue is an essential base for a child who then has to get to grips with the language of their host country,” reckons Amelia Lambelet of the Fribourg Institute of Multilingualism. Therese Salzmann, an expert in multilingualism at the Swiss Institute of Youth and Media, agrees. “The teaching of mother tongues reinforces self-confidence and gives the child a feeling of security.” She adds that “taking account of a child’s double cultures is a determining factor in their social integration and professional success.”

I regard Muslim schools not just Faith schools but more or less bilingual schools. I set up the first Muslim school in Forest Gate London in 1981. Special attention was given to Standard English, Arabic and Urdu languages along with National Curriculum. The teaching of Standard English will help them to follow the National Curriculum and go for higher studies and research to serve humanity. A Muslim is a citizen of this tiny global village, he/she does not want to become notoriously monolingual Brit. Now there are 188 Muslim schools and only 18 are state funded. I would like to see each and every Muslim child in a state funded Muslim school with Muslim teachers. I hope one day my dream would come true.

The sound knowledge of one's owns language would appear to help – not hinder the acquisition of a second language and bilingual children may even have cognitive advantages and that the ability to speak more than one language is going to be increasingly important for the world of the future. Therefore, Muslim children and young Muslims have potentially a major educational advantage, although sadly this is not being developed well at present. British policy makers now recognise bilingualism as an educational asset rather than a problem. Education plays a central role in the transmission of languages from one generation to the next. The teaching of mother tongues is essential in terms of culture and identity. Arabic is a religious language for the Muslims but for Pakistanis, Urdu is also essential for culture and identity. Blind Muslim children in Bradford are learning to read Arabic and Urdu Braille, by a blind teacher who travelled from Pakistan. Now blind Muslim children are not going to miss out on culture, religion, language and the social aspects and integration into their own community and identity.

Muslim children in state schools with non-Muslim teachers are not in a position to develop positive self-confidence and self-esteem. Muslim children need state funded Muslim schools with Muslim teachers as role models during their developmental periods. There is no place for a non-Muslim child or a teacher in a Muslim school.

Muslim community would like to protect their children from the evils of the western society. You better educate your children and let Muslim community educate their children according the needs and demands of the parents.

Muslim schools teach Muslim children that sex outside marriage is a sin. Homosexuality is also a sin. Sex before marriage and homosexuality are western values and Muslims are not supposed to adopt them.

British values, which are said to include respect for legally protected characteristics such as homosexuality, religion, gender change, disability, race and marital status. what a warping of British values, the British values I was taught are respect for the institution of marriage, freedom of religious pursuit, freedom of speech, respect for the monarch. respect for others.

Indiscipline, incivility, binge drinking, drug addiction, gun and knife crimes, teenage pregnancies and abortion are part and parcel of British schooling. These are the reasons why majority of Muslim parents would like to send their children to Muslim schools with Muslim teachers as role models during their developmental periods. Only less than 5% attend Muslim schools and more than 95% keep on attending state and church schools to be mis-educated and de-educated by non-Muslim monolingual teachers.

The British establishment is wrong in thinking that Imams are to blame for extremism. Imams are not solution to the problem for extremism. Extremism is nothing to do with Imams. Extremism is not created from abroad, it is coming from within. Britain fails to help Muslim communities feel part of British society. Race trouble is being predicted by the Daily Express, because of an ethnic boom in UK major cities. Muslim communities need imams for the solutions of their needs and demands in their own native languages. Muslim parents would like to see their children well versed in Standard English and to go for higher studies and research to serve humanity. The fact is that majority of Muslim children leave schools with low grades because monolingual teachers are not capable to teach Standard English to bilingual Muslim children.

West is desperate for an education that provides a broad basis of knowledge and learning, which equips students for contemporary society. Equips them or re-educates them in a certain direction. That straw man statement is meant to tell you that rather than reflect society, some wish education to indoctrinate those in a certain PC direction. Broad based means 'tell the pupils that all cultures are right'. If you're a teacher in the UK , you'll be accustomed to receiving homophobic, sexist and racist comments and threats on a daily basis, and have long ago given up complaining about it because nothing will ever be done about it. If you're a pupil, you know that complaining about the slightest perceived insult from a teacher will turn the world upside down. How that's a recipe for a more equable and respectful society, I've no idea.
Education is the home of institutional racism; therefore, British educational system must be reformed. Those state schools where Muslim pupils are in majority should be designated as Muslim community schools. Teacher is a role model; therefore, Qualified Muslim teachers are required to teach National Curriculum, Islamic studies, Arabic and Urdu and other community languages.

Bilingual Muslims children have a right, as much as any other faith group, to be taught their culture, languages and faith alongside a mainstream curriculum. More faith schools will be opened under sweeping reforms of the education system in England. There is a dire need for the growth of state funded Muslim schools to meet the growing needs and demands of the Muslim parents and children. Now the time has come that parents and community should take over the running of their local schools. Parent-run schools will give the diversity, the choice and the competition that the wealthy have in the private sector.

There are hundreds of state primary and secondary schools where Muslim pupils are in majority. In my opinion all such schools may be opted out to become Muslim Academies. This mean the Muslim children will get a decent education. Muslim schools turned out balanced citizens, more tolerant of others and less likely to succumb to criminality or extremism. Muslim schools give young people confidence in who they are and an understanding of Islam’s teaching of tolerance and respect which prepares them for a positive and fulfilling role in society.
IA

http://www.londonschoolofislamcs.org.uk

[Dave B]

Hi, Ifty, ... same old, same old eh?

[Alan H]

Western education is the home of institutional racism. There is no place for a foreign culture, language and faith in western education system.

Blatant lie, Iftikhar. Is lying a sin in Islam?

[Compassionist]

Western education is the home of institutional racism. There is no place for a foreign culture, language and faith in western education system.

Blatant lie, Iftikhar. Is lying a sin in Islam?

"And do not mix the truth with the falsehood and do not conceal the truth you know." - 2:42, The Quran. Given this verse in the Quran, it is clear cut that Islam forbids lying and forbids hiding the truth. I agree with you Alan that Iftikhar's statement is false. I know because I attended school in the U.K. and while Christianity was dominant in Religious Education we were also taught about other religions e.g. Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism. As for other languages, we had French and German in addition to English.

[Alan H]

Western education is the home of institutional racism. There is no place for a foreign culture, language and faith in western education system.

Blatant lie, Iftikhar. Is lying a sin in Islam?

"And do not mix the truth with the falsehood and do not conceal the truth you know." - 2:42, The Quran. Given this verse in the Quran, it is clear cut that Islam forbids lying and forbids hiding the truth.

Perhaps Iftikhar isn't well versed in the Quran?

[Compassionist]

"And do not mix the truth with the falsehood and do not conceal the truth you know." - 2:42, The Quran. Given this verse in the Quran, it is clear cut that Islam forbids lying and forbids hiding the truth.

Perhaps Iftikhar isn't well versed in the Quran?

He should answer this question.