This is a blog about the Islamification of UK schools - it's not a simple issue but I think there are some clear principles at stake here. I am not trying to offend anyone, just to consider the issues in a calm way. Warning, may contain some swear words.
As I understand it, ex-pats have 'British' schools to teach their kids when they're overseas in many parts of the world - in places where significant numbers of Brits are working or serving at embassies etc. The difference with these arrangements though, is that the work is temporary and the parents remain British nationals and essentially British residents, as opposed to going to these places to live permanently.
My sister lives in France and her daughter goes to a French school - they 'live' there and even were it possible in rural Normandie, for a 'Brit school' they would chose for her to attend a local French school. They are (and want to be) part of the community in which they live - it's why they went to France to live.
I also realised just recently - it was not something that I had previously really thought about (which is telling) - that I am a first generation immigrant to the UK - my dad is Irish, a Mayo man, from Westport and Ballina, via Galway to the UK.
That doesn't necessarily mean I know the square root of fuck all about the 'small print' of immigration but I'm just establishing my credentials.
The reason why I haven't realised my status as a first generation immigrant before now is that it's simply never been an issue for me. I was born here and whilst I am half Irish and proud of my Irish ancestry, I am essentially English or British, have been schooled here and have taken on the values of my host nation. I am also proud to be British and English - my only dilemma comes when England plays Ireland at Rugby Union, but that's not a major problem, it gives me two shots at the Grand Slam!
I'm rambling (you may have noticed?) because this is a difficult issue and not everyone will agree. But if I just tell you what you want to hear all the damn time, then I'm wasting it, yours and mine. So here goes.
I do genuinely understand that when a community (as is under the spotlight currently in Birmingham) is predominantly populated by people of the Muslim faith; when almost all of the kids who attend a particular school are from that background, that the likelihood is that the local school will reflect that demographic.
It's inevitable. And if enough people in a community want that to be the case then it is very difficult to argue against it and remain true to the principles of democracy.
But here's the rub. If you choose to up sticks and go and live in another country because it affords you a better chance in life, provides better opportunities for your kids, better healthcare, more freedoms than you might have enjoyed in your country of birth, surely part of the deal is that you will adopt the laws and values of that country?
That doesn't mean you have to give up your religion - that's largely a private matter between you and your God - but it does, in my opinion, mean that you accept the language, lifestyle and history of your new 'home' country instead of trying to import laws, politics and history from the country on which you are turning your back.
Why, fundamentally, would you want to create the same environment in you new, freer, more prosperous, more caring and more opportunity-providing host nation, as exists in the country from which you're trying to escape?
It seems to me that this is a two-way street. Controlled immigration is a good thing. It enhances our nation; it has been going on forever and has made us what we are today - tolerant, forward-looking, generous, diverse.
But when we offer a welcome to incomers, I think we do so on the basis that they have come here to integrate with us, to enjoy what this country has to offer and to contribute to it; to respect our laws, values and history. When you come and expect to establish your own closed communities, your own laws, your own, sometimes extreme, religious beliefs and doctrines, you are simply not keeping your side of the bargain.
Norman Tebbit made the now infamous comment about which cricket team you support if you live in England. It was a good point but I really don't have a problem with it as an issue. Sport is above politics, but the underlying message was a strong one.
If you are trying to change your new 'host' country in a way in which the majority of its residents don't want, then you're reneging on the fundamental deal. It seems to me that this is what is happening in Birmingham schools and probably in many other parts of the UK as well.
We Brits are very tolerant, very slow to rile, but we also have a very strong sense of what's right and what isn't. We really loathe being taken for mugs, having our own generosity thrown back in our faces, having our generosity used to do us harm.
It's time, in my opinion, for the 'vast majority' (we're told) of Muslims who share our British values to stand up and be heard. This is now getting to be really important. You don't stop bullies by backing off. Remember that.
Thanks for reading.
The key issue in education (IMHO) is that no school should be allowed to teach "faith" as fact.
ReplyDeleteDeep South in the USA where evolution is not taught to Christians, Israel and Jewish schools where people are taught the world is less than 6000 years old, Hindus teaching reincarnation as fact and so on all need to be brought into the debate on education.
Religion can be taught, as it was in my school as "this is what some people believe" way, but no school ever should be allowed to indoctrinate children.
And the reason this won't happen - too many of the perceived "good" state schools are "Christian" its offshoots.
I have a friend, an atheist, who was head of a Catholic school for 4 years and lied every day about his beliefs because it was a good job, as did most of the parents of the children there - who were taught Catholic doctrine.
The biggest security threat to UK mainland from terrorists and extremists is still from the ongoing religious battles between Catholics and Protestants, and that isn't going away any time soon is it?
Funny old world as they say.
Hi Simon thanks for your comments. I tend to agree about faith schools - my kids both went to a 'church school', mainly because it was the best no-fee school locally to us. They are selective even if they always deny it - we had to jump through hoops, although to be fair to me, I was a school governor and did support the 'church' locally in the form of organising fund-raising events which were fun community events rather than being overtly religious in nature.
ReplyDeleteThat school did not teach creationism though.
Regarding your conclusion about the biggest ongoing threat coming from Catholic/Protestant conflict, I'm not so sure. I don't think we can continue to ignore some of the medieval beliefs and practices that accompany hard-line Islam or allowing what are effectively closed and non-diverse communities in many of our cities, being established, ironically in the name of our tolerance and desire for diversity.
Thanks again.