Muslim Youths
Muslim youths are angry, frustrated and extremist because they have been mis-educated and de-educated by the British schooling. Muslim children are confused because they are being educated in a wrong place at a wrong time in state schools with non-Muslim monolingual teachers. They face lots of problems of growing up in two distinctive cultural traditions and value systems, which may come into conflict over issues such as the role of women in the society, and adherence to religious and cultural traditions. The conflicting demands made by home and schools on behaviour, loyalties and obligations can be a source of psychological conflict and tension in Muslim youngsters. There are also the issues of racial prejudice and discrimination to deal with, in education and employment. They have been victim of racism and bullying in all walks of life. According to DCSF, 56% of Pakistanis and 54% of Bangladeshi children has been victims of bullies. The first wave of Muslim migrants were happy to send their children to state schools, thinking their children would get a much better education. Than little by little, the overt and covert discrimination in the system turned them off. There are fifteen areas where Muslim parents find themselves offended by state schools.
The writer has a point, but forgets that this has been true of all immigrant groups. Sad to say, it is something that must be, and was, worked through by the Irish, Italians, Jewish, Germans and other large groups that have came into this country.
It was also true about the Mexicans, but that is starting to fade as the politicians stupidly try and use them as political pawns to get and keep power. I think this is also true to a large extent with Muslims.
The real bottom line is this. If you immigrate to a country with a culture that is vastly different, why should you expect that culture to change for you?? The various Muslim cultures, and I recognize there are different cultures, that come here are vastly different than the west. To me it appears that the driver on resisting assimilation is the Islamic religion and Sharia law.
The right to education in one’s own comfort zone is a fundamental and inalienable human right that should be available to all people irrespective of their ethnicity or religious background. Schools do not belong to state, they belong to parents. It is the parents’ choice to have faith schools for their children. Bilingual Muslim children need state funded Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim teachers as role models during their developmental periods. There is no place for a non-Muslim teacher or a child in a Muslim school. There are hundreds of state schools where Muslim children are in majority. In my opinion, all such schools may be designated as Muslim community schools. An ICM Poll of British Muslims showed that nearly half wanted their children to attend Muslim schools. There are only 143 Muslim schools. A state funded Muslim school in Birmingham has 220 pupils and more than 1000 applicants chasing just 60.
The explosions of rights in this world isn’t limited to just Muslims, but they certainly are in the top ten. The claim:
“The right to education in one’s own comfort zone is a fundamental and inalienable human right that should be available to all people irrespective of their ethnicity or religious background.”
is obviously illogical and not supported by any factual information. It might have some claim if the people involved were being forced to live where they live. In fact, they are not and there are many countries in which the Islamic faith controls the government, including education. SA, Egypt and Iran come immediately to mind.
Shorter.
You have moved to a western country with a western culture. If you don’t like it, find a more agreeable place.
Majority of anti-Muslim stories are not about terrorism but about Muslim
culture--the hijab, Muslim schools, family life and religiosity. Muslims in the west ought to be recognised as a western community, not as an alien culture.
Iftikhar Ahmad
www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk
If the Muslims in the west want to be recognized as a western community they must adapt the culture of that community. That would certainly require embracing a secular legal system and rejecting Sharia law and other current cultural norms, among many groups, such as “Honor Killings,” genital mutilation and forced marriages to mention just a few.
I thank the writer and note that understanding can only come through frank and open exchanges.
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