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Bilingual Muslim Schools

Reader comment on item: Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy – An Islamist Charter School in Minnesota?

Submitted by Iftikhar Ahmad (United Kingdom), Jan 28, 2009 at 07:00

Salaam

The demand for Muslim schools comes from parents who want their children a safe environment with an Islamic ethos.Parents see Muslim schools where children can develop their Islamic Identity where they won't feel stigmatised for being Muslims and they can feel confident about their faith.
Muslim schools are working to try to create a bridge between communities. There is a belief among ethnic minority parens that the British schooling does not adequatly address their cultural needs. Failing to meet this need could result in feeling resentment among a group who already feel excluded. Setting up Muslim school is a defensive response.

State schools with monolingual teachers are not capable to teach English to bilingual Muslim children. Bilingual teachers are needed to teach English to such children along with their mother tongue. According to a number of of studies, a child will not learn a second language if his first language is ignored.

Bilingual Muslim children need state funded Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim teachers as role models during their developmental periods. Muslims have the right to educate their children in an environment that suits their culture. This notion of "integration", actually means "assimilation", by which people generally really mean "be more like me". That is not multiculturalism. In Sydney, Muslims were refused to build a Muslim school, because of a protest by the residents. Yet a year later, permission was given for the building of a Catholic school and no protests from the residents. This clrearly shows the blatant hypocrisy, double standards and racism. Christians oppose Muslim schools in western countries yet build their own religious schools.

British schooling and the British society is the home of institutional racism. The result is that Muslim children are unable to develop
self-confidence and self-esteem, therefore, majority of them leave schools with low grades. Racism is deeply rooted in British society. Every native child is born with a gene or virus of racism, therefore, no law could change the attitudes of racism towards those who are different. It is not only the common man, even member of the royal family is involved in racism. The father of a Pakistani office cadet who was called a "Paki" by Prince Harry
has profoundly condemned his actions. He had felt proud when he met the Queen and the Prince of Wales at his son's passing out parade at Sandhurst in 2006 but now felt upset after learning about the Prince's comments. Queen Victoria invited an Imam from India to teach her Urdu language. He was highly respected by the Queen but other members of the royal family had no respect for him. He was forced to go back to India. His protrait is still in one of the royal places.

There are hundreds of state schools where Muslim pupils are in majority. In my opinion, all such schools may be designated as Muslim community schools with bilingual Muslim teachers. There is no place for a non-Muslim child or a teacher in a Muslim school.
Iftikhar Ahmad

Submitting....

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Reader comments (32) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Islam in textbooks [28 words]JudeFeb 26, 2017 18:51237004
Feeling of throwing up [49 words]Kurt BaskingMar 3, 2010 23:39169659
TiZA is illegally receiving Pubic Education Funding! [98 words]StopNov 13, 2009 00:52164511
Bilingual Muslim Schools [501 words]Iftikhar AhmadJan 28, 2009 07:00149335
Try supporting your own private schools [141 words]Peter HerzJul 23, 2009 06:00149335
One less madrassa [31 words]jennifer solisJan 23, 2009 22:11148892
Muslim Youths [393 words]Iftikhar AhmadSep 13, 2008 02:54138373
Nothing wrong with an islamist school [49 words]yuval Branmdstetter MDSep 19, 2008 04:42138373
Muslim Youths [170 words]Iftikhar AhmadSep 20, 2008 01:33138373
No taxpayer funding for religious schools [185 words]John G. Spethman MDSep 25, 2008 00:47138373
Iftikhar Ahmad intrinsic message [387 words]YnnatchkahSep 26, 2008 14:54138373
Turnabout is fair [285 words]One-eyed eagleJan 23, 2009 20:03138373
Muslim Youths [257 words]Iftikhar AhmadJan 26, 2009 13:20138373
The gall ! [295 words]dfwhite19438Aug 11, 2008 16:23136592
MUSLIM SCHOOLS [44 words]BTILLYJun 17, 2008 14:12132408
"....Muslim parents teach their children that if they eat a pork chop, they will turn into a Christian." [58 words]KristaJun 17, 2008 17:22132408
No, no [17 words]Straight_Talk_LuigiJun 20, 2008 19:00132408
KRISTA [17 words]btillyJul 22, 2008 18:14132408
Right under our noses [215 words]Rebecca MouldsMay 21, 2008 07:40129409
Rebecca you were part of it [11 words]PatzJan 22, 2009 00:14129409
Only visiting, not participating [88 words]Rebecca MouldsJan 22, 2009 19:08129409
Very Scary [112 words]jennifer solisMay 21, 2008 01:55129375
Dear Jennfier [61 words]Straight_Talk_LuigiMay 22, 2008 04:39129375
Dear Strait_Talk_Luigi [78 words]jennifer solisMay 23, 2008 02:56129375
Question and Answer [86 words]Straight_Talk_LuigiMay 20, 2008 18:10129340
We need Nazi Madrassas [45 words]waldemarMay 20, 2008 16:51129332
Yes, we are committing suicide [398 words]Straight_Talk_LuigiMay 20, 2008 22:20129332
Islamic Schools [137 words]Glenn PartridgeSep 24, 2008 01:31129332
working on a definition of a hypocrite [42 words]robert aJul 22, 2009 02:27129332
Islamic v. Arabic language schools [204 words]dhimmi no moreMay 20, 2008 07:17129280
Yes, No and Yes [82 words]Arif Jayish Al AmirkiJun 2, 2008 22:19129280
Islamic culture [36 words]BernieJul 22, 2009 02:36129280

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