I don't know why (as a righty) I am supposed to hate this lady as she makes so much sense:
The Muslim 'Trojan Horse' schools frenzy hides a need for integration | Polly Toynbee | Comment is free | theguardian.com
Quite. Society has advanced in many ways (not nearly far enough admittedly) towards a rational society, democracy, equality of the sexes, freedom of choice as long as it does not unduly impact others, is it time to start giving the boot to the greatest millstone around the neck of humanity, religion?
People should also have freedom of choice to follow their religious beliefs and to teach them to their children but that does not mean specific religious faiths, funded by all taxpayers, should be taught by schools.
What is needed is socially and religiously integrated education. All children should be taught religious education,
learning about all religions. But what serious programme of sex education or prevention of homophobic bullying can
there be in schools where most teachers adhere to ancient texts that punish gays? It's hard to complain of some of
the teachings in the Qur'an when Gove sends a Bible to every school, filled with the most extreme and bizarre
prohibitions.
Who knows how these investigations will navigate the thicket of acceptable versus unacceptable religious teaching. But this saga makes the BHA's pleas for broad secular education for all children all the more pressing. Wide horizons that open minds to all ideas and beliefs should be the state's goal, liberating all children from the prejudices of their own backgrounds. To put Muslim children or those from other religious groups into a separate category that overly respects their parents' views is to limit their horizons and deny them true equality.
learning about all religions. But what serious programme of sex education or prevention of homophobic bullying can
there be in schools where most teachers adhere to ancient texts that punish gays? It's hard to complain of some of
the teachings in the Qur'an when Gove sends a Bible to every school, filled with the most extreme and bizarre
prohibitions.
Who knows how these investigations will navigate the thicket of acceptable versus unacceptable religious teaching. But this saga makes the BHA's pleas for broad secular education for all children all the more pressing. Wide horizons that open minds to all ideas and beliefs should be the state's goal, liberating all children from the prejudices of their own backgrounds. To put Muslim children or those from other religious groups into a separate category that overly respects their parents' views is to limit their horizons and deny them true equality.
Quite. Society has advanced in many ways (not nearly far enough admittedly) towards a rational society, democracy, equality of the sexes, freedom of choice as long as it does not unduly impact others, is it time to start giving the boot to the greatest millstone around the neck of humanity, religion?
People should also have freedom of choice to follow their religious beliefs and to teach them to their children but that does not mean specific religious faiths, funded by all taxpayers, should be taught by schools.
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