Angela Speilman, the Governments Chief Inspector of Ofsted, has spoken out against schools being used for the teaching of fundamentalism and narrowing of children’s horizons. She sees some groups are actively perverting the education of children. They are foisting their fundamentalist views on children.
This is happening in Christian, Muslim. Jewish and Hindu schools. It should be stopped.
Schools should provide a broad and balanced curriculum, be responsible for the welfare and development of children and promote tolerance and respect for all religions and none. They should not be used to ram religious doctrine into malleable minds. That is indoctrination.
Angela Speilman stated that it is the duty of schools to challenge fundamentalism.
Personally I do not think religion has any place in schools apart from objective comparative study as part of the formal curriculum. The setting up of religious schools, of whatever denomination, runs counter to the policy of integration, mutual respect and community cohesion. Our children should mix and get to know each other. Segregation and brainwashing runs counter to everything a multicultural society should be doing. We need to promote British standards of tolerance, freedom and respect – not narrow religious dogma.