The Yorkshire Post has something of an exclusive, under the headline ‘Tories set to create boom in Islamic schools‘ they reveal that the next Tory government would make it easier for “parents, local communities or religious groups” to set up religious state schools.
The Conservatives want to make it easier for parents, charities and trusts to set up their own new schools to meet the needs of local communities.
Shadow Schools’ Secretary Michael Gove told the Yorkshire Post his party would welcome the creation of new religious schools and accepted that the policy could lead to an increase in Islamic state schools being funded in areas of West Yorkshire.
However he dismissed fears that such a move could lead to further segregation or extremism in the region.
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“The reality is that parents who want to can send their children to an independent Islamic school, can send them to madrassahs for religious teaching after school and many pupils will be attending schools where de-facto segregation already exists.
Why be content with de-facto segregation when you can make it a formal policy? And whilst Gove promises “formidable checks” to prevent extremism (not that he gives any suggestion as to what they would be), he’s rather less forthcoming on how segregation could be avoided.
“We want to meet the rights of parents to give their children a faith-based education in accordance with their Islamic beliefs while at the same time ensuring that these schools are properly run and promoting the values of a modern Britain.
He said any new school would be expected to teach English history and a “sense that were are all one nation who have made a certain set of shared sacrifices but enjoy certain shared freedoms.”
Teaching children on an entirely theoretical level that they are part of British society and should co-exist happily with all other British citizens, regardless of religion, ethnicity or whatever, will be entirely undermined by the practical lesson that Muslims have one school and Christians another.
Also, I’d quite like to know how you can teach long division, photosynthesis or the Wars of the Roses “in accordance with [the parents] Islamic beliefs”. What Gove suggests is yet another misguided policy which treats British Muslims as though “Muslim” is the sum total of their identity.
2 Comments
How is this announcement in any way exclusive or new? It’s been Tory policy ever since Cameron took over. See George Osborne back in 2007:
A lot has happened since then and the Tories have been pretty quiet – at least on this kind of matter. It’s a shame that their comeback has been less than impressive, especially given that it’s a statement from Michael Gove, who is so close to Quilliam. You would have hoped he would have a slightly better grasp of these matters.
That said, I do agree with you a little. Maybe the title should have been “The Tories still don’t get it”. Not quite so snappy though.