Absurd Britannia Update: “All state pupils may be taught Islamic traditions as part of compulsory citizenship lessons,” by Matthew Hickley for the Daily Mail, July 19 :
State 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.
Prominent Muslims said this scheme was naive because Government endorsement would erode the credibility of those taking part, especially among the young and disaffected.
Another measure will see Muslim children being taught citizenship lessons by imams in mosque schools – in the hope that they will be better equipped to resist extremist messages.
We saw this here. What will these imams teach? How will they reconcile this with political Islam?
Many Muslim youngsters in the UK attend evening classes at madrassah schools attached to mosques, where imams give instruction in the Koran and Islamic history.
Ministers want imams to stress that the Koran places a duty on all Muslims to be good neighbours, carry out voluntary work and play an active part in civic society.
Pilot schemes will begin in October in London, Leicester, Birmingham, Oldham, Rochdale, and Bradford.
The Department for Communities and Local Government has tasked the Islam & Citizenship Education group with producing the teaching materials for mosques.
The organisation, however, wants to extend its remit to mainstream state schools by ‘teaching Islamic traditions and values in the school citizenship curriculum’….
Ah. An agenda is becoming clear.