BBC Panorama – British Schools, Islamic Rules: AOBM’s response
The BBC Panorama programme, titled “British Schools, Islamic Rules”, screened on the night of 22nd of November uncovered “disturbing evidence that some Muslim children are being exposed to extremist preachers and fundamentalist Islamic groups.” In addition it documented “part-time schools where hate is on the curriculum.” In these schools pupils are being taught through Saudi National Curriculum text books that some Jews are transformed into pigs and apes and that the gays and lesbians should be killed. See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00w8kwz
Shaykh David Rosser Owen, Amir/President of AOBM (the oldest community organisation of the Muslims of the British Isles) responded to the findings of the BBC Panorama documentary by stating:
“There is no place for hate and intolerance towards any group whatsoever in any British school curriculum, rather the contrary.
Islamic scholars from all schools of thought have repeatedly called for schools serving the Muslim communities in the United Kingdom to be British schools teaching a British curriculum within an agreed Muslim ethos. Such schools must educate pupils to be part of, understand, value and respect the diversity and complexity of British contemporary society.
The Panorama programme highlighted the need for a proper agreed curriculum for all schools, and proper and rigorous oversight by those public bodies charged with that trust. In the absence of these, clearly unsuitable material that does not fit within British traditions will find its way into our educational system that may affect positive contribution of individuals to their community and to society at large.
It also highlighted the inherent dangers to communities of segregation from the mainstream or host environment, which is unIslamic, and the need to break down self-imposed and reinforced barriers to interaction. Within such ghettoes extremism finds a fertile breeding ground.”
Dan Littauer, Human Rights and Press Relations Director of AOBM
Mohammed Abbasi, Strategy Director of AOBM
Paul S. Armstrong, Director for Interfaith and Interpolitical Dialogue of AOBM
Adeel Rahman, Education Coordinator of AOBMContact: press@aobm.org
