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10-02-2007, 06:53 PM
I Oppose Faith Based Schools
Yahya Abdul Rahman
September 29, 2007: A recent Angus Reid poll shows opposition to John
Tory's election platform on faith based schools in Ontario to have
increased to 58%. You can count me in on that 58% as I am adamantly
opposed to such a proposal. Despite being a practising Muslim, I am
totally against faith based schools for two simple reasons. First,
they create division within society at a time when unity and social
cohesion are more important now than ever. Second, it ghettoises
those who happen to be in a minority position, such as Muslims.
The last thing our children need is to be cloistered away from
everyone else and taught exclusively their community's version of
reality. This will breed intolerance and will not contribute to them
facing up to the real world where differences are everywhere.
Furthermore, since Muslims are mostly visible minorities in this
country, faith based schools are tantamount to segegration and I
don't think that is a viable or desirable option.
What I would like to see, however, is more accommodation for various
faith communities within the existing school system. For example,
students may want to pray or have study circles during school hours
so they need a space to do that. Or they need to be exempted from
certain activities without penalty due to religious restrictions. For
me this is much more reasonable and insures that our children do not
become totally isolated from the rest of the world.
It is first and foremost the parent's responsibility to instil
religious values into their children and not the state. Religious
schools are a cop out on the part of parents as they want to pass the
buck and give that responsibility to someone else.
Thus, for the above reasons, I am against faith based schools.
Yahya Abdul Rahman
September 29, 2007: A recent Angus Reid poll shows opposition to John
Tory's election platform on faith based schools in Ontario to have
increased to 58%. You can count me in on that 58% as I am adamantly
opposed to such a proposal. Despite being a practising Muslim, I am
totally against faith based schools for two simple reasons. First,
they create division within society at a time when unity and social
cohesion are more important now than ever. Second, it ghettoises
those who happen to be in a minority position, such as Muslims.
The last thing our children need is to be cloistered away from
everyone else and taught exclusively their community's version of
reality. This will breed intolerance and will not contribute to them
facing up to the real world where differences are everywhere.
Furthermore, since Muslims are mostly visible minorities in this
country, faith based schools are tantamount to segegration and I
don't think that is a viable or desirable option.
What I would like to see, however, is more accommodation for various
faith communities within the existing school system. For example,
students may want to pray or have study circles during school hours
so they need a space to do that. Or they need to be exempted from
certain activities without penalty due to religious restrictions. For
me this is much more reasonable and insures that our children do not
become totally isolated from the rest of the world.
It is first and foremost the parent's responsibility to instil
religious values into their children and not the state. Religious
schools are a cop out on the part of parents as they want to pass the
buck and give that responsibility to someone else.
Thus, for the above reasons, I am against faith based schools.