Trojan Horse Schools.

[SocketRocket]

The current situation with certain Birmingham schools and the alleged infiltration of their Governors by Islamic extremists has caused a lot of interest in the media and parliament.

Is this an exaggeration or a trend we should be concerned with?

 

[6inchcup]

we should not teach any religion in schools and be secular like a lot of other countries,if they wish their kids to be taught arabic and have the same rules as in their country of origin,simple pack your bags and go back there why should we pay with our tax's to have radical Muslim speakers giving talks in assembly or having girls segregated in lessons and not taught lessons the boys do,just because the majority who live in the area are muslims does not mean the schools should be muslim schools,if they wish to teach their kids arabic or muslim ideals,do it after school in a place with teachers they pay for but within the laws of THIS country.

 

[Foxholer]

There has been indoctrination being performed in schools ever since schools began!

I believe it has been blown out of all proportion, but does need to be tackled/addressed - calmly and sensibly, which probably excludes Gove and May from any involvement!

There will always be cultural differences and the 'British values' that Gove is going on about include mutual respect and tolerance. Those apply in both directions!

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I see Gove has backtracked on unannounced spot inspections.
I think that was one of the problem areas.

 

[SocketRocket]

Maybe the answer is for all schools to be secular.

 

[c1973]

Indeed. Religion should have no place in school. If parents want their kids to be religious then take them to church,mosque, synagogue etc. If religion is taught then it should be a broad synopsis of all major worldwide religions (including Jedi btw ) and not specific to any particular one. And if religious schools are required then they should be licenced by Government and paid for by the respective religious group and not taxpayer funded imo.

Heartening to hear a young Muslim lad on the news last night discussing it with his Muslim friend and saying to him 'but this isn't a Muslim school' in response to a point made about not being allowed girlfriends in school. It illustrated perfectly that not all Muslims are as extreme as some rags purporting to be newspapers would have us believe.

As to Trojan Schools? I think it is something that should be monitored but knee jerk reactions (evidence based or not) will not be the way to go. It rarely is.

 

[chrisd]

Heartening to hear a young Muslim lad on the news last night discussing it with his Muslim friend and saying to him 'but this isn't a Muslim school' in response to a point made about not being allowed girlfriends in school. It illustrated perfectly that not all Muslims are as extreme as some rags purporting to be newspapers would have us believe.

No, but it did seem to confirm that they had been taught that girlfriends were not allowed which, if taught in school, was wrong.

 

[splashtryagain]

Get rid of faith schools? May as well kiss goodbye to 1/3 of all primaries then with c of e and catholic making up at least that amount. This will lead to bigger class sizes then bigger tax bills to cover the monumental shortfall in monies for schools then falling standards then the people complaining about it!
I agree wholeheartedly there is no place for extremists in schools by the way.

 

[c1973]

Get rid of faith schools? May as well kiss goodbye to 1/3 of all primaries then with c of e and catholic making up at least that amount. This will lead to bigger class sizes then bigger tax bills to cover the monumental shortfall in monies for schools then falling standards then the people complaining about it!
I agree wholeheartedly there is no place for extremists in schools by the way.

Faith schools are public funded (up here anyway) so I'm not sure I get your point about bigger tax bills etc.

I do acknowledge private faith schools will naturally be funded privately, but I don't think there are that many to have a noticeable impact on overall spend.

 

[splashtryagain]

Ooops, my mistake, assumed church schools had at least some church money!

 

[c1973]

They are here too but the diocese in charge at least make sure that the smaller schools (round here that's the religious ones) are given a chance. Give the money to a central pot and kiss goodbye to small rural schools = more travel and bigger class sizes etc...
Probably didnt explain my previous point too well - got a bit excitable referring to my experience in this geographical area - 2 schools this year!

Fair comment. I'm not sure it works the same way here ( they tend to shut wee rural schools regardless ) so couldn't comment.

 

[SocketRocket]

I see OFSTED have not given a top grade to a school in rural Devon due to the children all being white English.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I see OFSTED have not given a top grade to a school in rural Devon due to the children all being white English.

Is that a serious quote ?

 

[Hacker Khan]

I see OFSTED have not given a top grade to a school in rural Devon due to the children all being white English.

I suspect the truth is more like the school did not teach multiculturalism to a good enough standard.

And schools do not not get outstanding at Ofsted just because they have all white pupils, there would have been a number of other recommendations. You can have schools with a vast majority of all white pupils but they address and teach multiculturalism to a very good standard. I know, I am a governor of one.

You didn't get this story from The Daily Mail by any chance??

 

[SocketRocket]

I suspect the truth is more like the school did not teach multiculturalism to a good enough standard.

And schools do not not get outstanding at Ofsted just because they have all white pupils, there would have been a number of other recommendations. You can have schools with a vast majority of all white pupils but they address and teach multiculturalism to a very good standard. I know, I am a governor of one.

Is that not a job for parents? I didnt know that multiculturalism was a subject on the school curriculum.

And regarding your post script. No I never, you do seem to have a fixation with that paper and using it as a insult for anyone having a contrary view to yours.

 

[SocketRocket]

Is that a serious quote ?

It was but if you dont think so then feel free!

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Depends whether you want it to be?

Well its very much a "Daily Mail" with prob as much substance as a Daily Mail story and prob creates more issues than it should

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Is that not a job for parents? I didnt know that multiculturalism was a subject on the school curriculum.

Its part of history and current affairs - shouldnt children be told about all different cultures in the world ?

 

[Hacker Khan]

Is that not a job for parents? I didnt know that multiculturalism was a subject on the school curriculum.

Ofsted do not grade schools just on the school curriculum. Any good school will try and ensure that their pupils are well rounded individuals, equipped to face the challenges the increasingly globalised world of work will throw at them nowadays. They do not just focus on getting them to be able to do their 5 times table.

Plus if you tell the kids at a young age before they start reading The Daily Mail not to be afraid of people with different colour skin to yours as the vast majority of them are just like you, then they tend to do that.

 

[SocketRocket]

Ofsted do not grade schools just on the school curriculum. Any good school will try and ensure that their pupils are well rounded individuals, equipped to face the challenges the increasingly globalised world of work will throw at them nowadays. They do not just focus on getting them to be able to do their 5 times table.

Plus if you tell the kids at a young age before they start reading The Daily Mail not to be afraid of people with different colour skin to yours as the vast majority of them are just like you, then they tend to do that.

I replied to your 'Daily Mail' blunt instrument in the previous thread.