Segregated religious schools ("faith" schools) Our general policy on religiously segregated schools: We support inclusive education where pupils from different backgrounds and beliefs are taught together so they can learn with one another and about one another. We are totally opposed to schools which segregate children on the basis of their parents' religion. There is no such thing as a "Muslim child", "Atheist child", "Christian child", "Hindu child", "Judaist child" - there are children with Muslim, Atheist, Christian, Hindu or Judaist parents. All children have the right to be informed about a wide variety of the world's belief systems, religious and non-religious, so that, as young adults, they can decide for themselves which, if any, they wish to follow. We want children to grow up to make informed decisions - we don't want them to be narrow-minded bigots with little or no knowledge of any belief system other than that of their parents. We know from experience that there is enormous pressure in some communities to conform to "the traditional religion" and we are aware, in Derby, of many young people who have been made very unhappy when they have chosen to reject the religion of their parents. This is unacceptable in a civilised society. The rights of the child must take precedence over the rights of the parents. "Learning with one another and about one another." We support the Derby Campaign for Inclusive Education (DCIE). We support the words of Dr Jonathan Romain MBE, Rabbi of Maidenhead Synagogue: "I want my children to go to a school where they can sit next to a Christian, play football in the break with a Muslim, do homework with a Hindu and walk back with an atheist - interacting with them and them getting to know what a Jewish child is like. Schools should build bridges, not erect barriers." Do we want to increase prejudice and lack of understanding? We want to know: How do religiously segregated schools improve social cohesion? How to they contribute to understanding between different communities? Do they produce students with open and enquiring minds? How do students whose parents have different beliefs get to know one another if they are isolated at school? Why is it a good idea to build barriers between communities? Has Northern Ireland taught us nothing? These schools were modelled on the Swedish system where recent research has shown: When socio-economic factors are taken into account such schools produce little or no improvement in achievement. Such schools generate huge resentment in the wider community - particular as the wider community is forced to pay for them but has no control over them. Schools of a religious nature fail to provide unbiased and accurate information about alternative religions and beliefs Schools of a religious nature produce students with less understanding about, and less tolerance for, those with different beliefs. Schools of a religious nature increase prejudice in the community outside the schools - people become afraid of groups who wish to isolate their children from the rest of society and this fear contributes directly to the growth of far right political activity. The Swedish government has been forced to introduce increased controls over such schools, to vet books and resources used for religious education and to limit the content of religious studies. New Islamic schools for Derby In September 2012 two new Islamic schools will open in Derby - one primary, one secondary - known jointly as the Al-Madinah school. Initially there will be about 180 pupils: 60 in reception, 60 in Year 1 and 60 in Year 7. The schools will eventually have between 650 and 750 pupils. At the moment a suitable site has to be found then a head teacher or principle will be appointed in January/February and applications for entry will start. The Al Madinah Group says that it will know which children will be attending the schools by April. The proposal has gone through Stage One of the secret Department of Education "free" school process and is now in Stage Two - "pre-opening". ("Free" in this context means 100% funded by taxpayers and totally beyond the control of the local Derby community.) The religious nature of the schools is very evident from its web site - these are not schools which will provide open and unbiased information so that children can make an informed choice about belief. This is both doctrinal and confessional religious indoctrination: "One of Al-Madinah Schools’ distinct features is the offering of an Islamic Studies program, which will include Quran reading with pronunciations (Tajweed), translation of the Quran (Tafseer) and Quran memorisation (Hifz). We will also teach Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh), biography (Seerah) of the Prophet Mohammed (SAW), History of Islam, the Oneness of God (Tauheed) and Islamic Beliefs (Aqeedah). Daily prayers and weekly religious assemblies will also take place at the School." We are totally opposed to the creation of such schools - yet the broader community has been given no chance to make its voice heard. Our documents Click here for our report to Derby SACRE (28/11/2011) Click here for our open letter to Derby City councillors (01/12/2011) Click here for our email to Derby City councillors (07/12/2011) Click here for a summary of the factors causing educational under achievement. These factors were first described in Issue 3 of the Derby Muslim Forum newsletter and were discussed with An Noor (the original proposers of the new schools) early in 2011. Key points 100% of the capital and running costs will come from taxpayers. Taxpayers outside Derby's Muslim community have not been consulted. The local authority has not been consulted. The school will have no non-Muslims on its board of governors/trustees/directors. 50% of the places in the school must be available to children from non-Muslim backgrounds. Experience round the country shows that such places are not taken up and are then allocated to children from Muslim backgrounds. The reality is that the schools will have 100% pupils from Muslim backgrounds. The schools plan to provide 55 minutes of doctrinal and confessional Islamic studies each day - something not permitted in normal schools where RE is open and informative. Will the schools also offer academically rigorous RE - leading to GCSE qualifications for example? What other subjects will suffer as a result of this heavy emphasis on religion? What will the schools teach about other belief systems such as Judaism, Christianity, Humanism, Hinduism, Sikhism etc? Who will do such teaching? What religious education syllabus will the schools follow? Will they follow the Derby City Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education? What textbooks and resources will be used for religious education? Who will provide religious education in the schools? Will they be qualified teachers? Will they have CRB certificates?   Who will monitor the delivery of religious education? The SACRE has this role in maintained schools - will it have the same role in these new schools? Will the schools offer places to a fair cross section of the community based on ability, special needs, disability and parental economic status (as measured by free school meals)? What will be the selection criteria if the schools are over subscribed? What will the schools teach about evolution/creationism given that the Secretary of State is "crystal clear that teaching creationism is at odds with scientific fact" and has concerns about "inappropriate faith groups using this legislation to push their own agenda"? How will Relationships and Sex Education be taught - including issues relating to gender and sexuality? Will the school follow the excellent Derby City RSE syllabus? What opportunities will Derby children from non-Muslim backgrounds have to mix with children from Muslim backgrounds if they are educated in separate schools? What opportunity will Muslim pupils at the schools have to mix with those from a non-Muslim background if they are educated in separate schools? Will the schools discriminate in the employment of teaching and non-teaching staff? What impact will it have on existing schools? Money follows pupils so as pupils leave maintained schools there will be serious implications for school budgets and for the funding available for support services within the city. Experience in the City and County shows that prejudice comes from ignorance, lack of understanding and lack of contact between different communities - fear of the unknown and the unfamiliar. For decades, many local organisations have worked hard to increase contacts between different communities and faiths and they have contributed in a significant way to the relative social harmony within the City. We do not want to see this hard work undone by the segregation of young people along religious lines. We need only look at Northern Ireland to see the result of such rigid educational segregation. Making an informed choice "There is no such thing as a 'Muslim child', 'Atheist child', 'Christian child', 'Hindu child', 'Judaist child' - there are children with Muslim, Atheist, Christian, Hindu or Judaist parents."   Each of us, as an adult, makes an informed intellectual choice about what we believe - we study the alternatives and arrive at a decision. Religious Education (RE) is designed to provide pupils and students with the information they need to make an informed choice. Do we want children from different backgrounds to mix with one another so they can learn mutual respect? Do we want children with open and enquiring minds, children who, as adults, can think for themselves? Do we want narrow minded conformists? Can you decide what you believe without looking at the alternatives? Do we want children to be forced to believe ideas they are not mature enough to understand? Is it right to blindly accept the first religion or belief that comes along? Is it right to accept "the traditional belief" just because others tell you to? Parents have a legal responsibility to look after their children. Parents have a right to tell their children about their own beliefs. Children have a right to an education. Children have a right make up their own minds about what they believe. Children need information in order to make that decision. Should the rights of the parent take precedence over the rights of the child? No one has the right to indoctrinate children. No one has the right to isolate children from the rest of society based upon adult beliefs. Can we respect any groups that want to isolate their children from our children? Should taxpayers be forced to pay for schools segregated along religious lines?

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