Islamic Schools should be "Banned"

Submitted by Abir Chaaban (Canada), Mar 29, 2005 at 15:11

The problem with Islamic Schools is the problem with modern Islam; it is the teaching of the opinion of extremists who interprets every thing in the book in order to justify the extremist position. This position at schools is normally backed up by censorship of any counter arguments to the one and only position that is supported by whatever organization that is funding the school.

Islamic schools are either Sunni (in various flavors) or Shi'a; both stances of Islam are calling for political Islam, they disagree on the logistics. To create a school for children that teach either opinion is simply legitimizing political and religious indoctrination of children.

Consider how will the history book look like, if only the prophet's battles against the Jews were described, and how will the Koran be presented if every time the "people of Israel" were mentioned the verse is translated to mean the Jews.

There is no such thing that is called the moderate teachings of Islam; Islam is a political concept, that cannot be taught to kids; period. To actually assume that kids are in a position to understand the modern interpretation of Jihad, without getting into explaining the Israeli Palestinian conflict, is a false assumption. Jihad is only becoming a topic of debate amongst Muslims because of the Israeli Palestinian conflict, and the need to bring a dogma that will justify the violence. This dogma is taught to kids at schools, precisely Islamic schools.

Al Abraar Islamic School in Ottawa for example states "We are set on preserving the Islamic identity of our community in Ottawa". What does Islamic identity entail? Is being a suicide bomber part of this identity? Does teaching this identity provide an example of other religious identities, such as the Jews and the Christians? Who is passing the judgment about these other identities? Is the child allowed to talk and build relationships with Jews and Christians so that that he can see that "other identities" come in the form of children as well? Or is the child's imagination about Christians and Jews shaped by the teacher's perspective of both? I can list an endless list of questions that could only focus on the topic of shaping children's identities in Islamic schools. Islamic schools should be banned in western societies. These schools are operating in a society that promotes freedom of speech and conscience, while the schools themselves are teaching children disrespect of freedom of thought and conscience.

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".