Publicly Funded Islamic Madrassas (Schools) in Western Countries

[Stylesrj]

I don't have a problem with those schools, yet they should be funded equally as the Catholic schools and BOTH schools should teach religion, not how to build bombs and blow up abortion clinics or large towers and not encourage it.

Then there should be publicly funded Hindu, Buddhist, Pastafarianist, Jewish, Mormon, Protestant and who knows what else schools and then everyone will be happy. Then because the Government or the schools can't manage an equality thing, they'll probably just close down and become regular schools

What I hate is that how in Australia, Catholic School teachers are paid more than regular teachers. When the regular teachers held a strike for more money, guess what the idiot government did? They did give extra pay, HOWEVER, they increased it by 20% or something, but Catholic School teachers, got a 25% increase! Oh great, so what did the regular teachers do? They held a strike! Hmm... I wonder why?

Anyway, I don't think the Islamic or Catholic or any religious school should be funded by the taxpayers. If the Muslims want to set up a school, fine, but fund it yourself, same with the other religious schools. Make them tax exempt too if they want

 

[Pounder]

Are you sure they don't get any money from the government Pounder? Even if parents are required to pay some amount to cover "the difference" in costs, the price would still be far lower than a traditional private school and it takes the student out of the public school system.

If they are claiming they are a religious church/temple/mosque, maybe they are tax exempt on tuition they collect. Maybe the are set up as a charity and donations are tax deductable. Maybe a there is a tax break for the parents on some of the tuition paid. All maybes.

But there is no direct government funding. No funds are sent to these schools like there is to the two recognized school boards.

 

[GenMarshall]

I wont be comfortable with Islamic schools funded by the government. It should be treated like a private school.

 

[Stylesjl]

Whos teaching who to blow things up?

 

[kulade]

Is there any significant difference between secular and religious schools?

Why can't we just have secular schools with more religious classes? The non-affiliated should learn about world faiths as well.

 

[GenMarshall]

Why can't we just have secular schools with more religious classes? The non-affiliated should learn about world faiths as well.

There is the "concern of imposing religion onto the other people" and the Separation between church and state.

 

[Stylesrj]

I think what the poll is saying, would you be comfortable with Islamic schools in your community. Nothing about them being publicly funded. Because I read it like that, I voted yes. Nothing wrong with Islamic schools. If Catholics can do it, so can Muslims, both have their fanatics so you can't claim that Muslims are bad and can't set up schools because of it.

 

[GenMarshall]

I think what the poll is saying, would you be comfortable with Islamic schools in your community.

In that case, I'm not comfortable with having an Islamic school within my community at all.

 

[Stylesrj]

In that case, I'm not comfortable with having an Islamic school within my community at all.

And why is that? Is there something wrong with Muslims that isn't in the other faiths? Do you believe that those schools will be teaching fanatics to blow up buildings?

 

[kulade]

There is the "concern of imposing religion onto the other people" and the Separation between church and state.

I wouldn't think so, children need to be educated about other faiths in today's world, and teaching them in schools doesn't conotate immediate indoctrination.

In America what we need most is educated people, they are quickly running out here and are dangerously in demand in the country, and children who have any religious upbringing, or none at all, will inherit their parent's religious stereotypes and beliefs on others unless we educate them on other faiths. We inform kids of the existence of Jesus and Mohamed, now let's tell them what their followers believe. We tell kids of racial tolerance 24/7 in America, why not religious?


Plus I'm sick of people saying:

"Oh so your an atheist.... ...so you worship Satan or something?"

 

[RedWolf]

I'm not sure if you've been following the discussion, but publicly funded Muslim and Jewish schools already exist in Canada.

Are you sure? I've never heard of it.

 

[GenMarshall]

And why is that? Is there something wrong with Muslims that isn't in the other faiths? Do you believe that those schools will be teaching fanatics to blow up buildings?

Lets examen the environment here in the United States. Were fearfull of the Muslums, especialy in our country. We fear that there are some sleeper agents who are radical muslims living in our own country. I'm not comfortable with having a Islamic School in my community in which that these schools would stick out like a sore thumb for people who are fearfull and prejugused against Muslums. Given the attitudes in this country, there would be attacks against Muslim Schools because of the notion that they would serve as teaching grounds for radical Islamic thinking.

I dont want thoes schools in my community because it would just cause too much trouble for the neighbors to deal with the constant harassment and/or violance towards Muslimsm. Too much for the local police to handle. It's nothing against the Muslims, is just that the enviornment her in the United States is not favorable towards Muslims after 9/11 (As you can see the number of Nos in the poll from the American's side).

 

[Babbler]

Ontario should do away with the Catholic school boards, just like Quebec did some time ago.

 

[Stylesrj]

So you think that because a lot of communities hate Muslims, that those schools will be attacked? That's funny, I have not heard a story where a Mosque was blown up or Muslim students were beaten up by radical fanatics. People will complain about the school yes, but not everyone in America is an Islamaphobic bigot who attacks Muslims

 

[ShannonCT]

I dont want thoes schools in my community because it would just cause too much trouble for the neighbors to deal with the constant harassment and/or violance towards Muslimsm. Too much for the local police to handle. It's nothing against the Muslims, is just that the enviornment her in the United States is not favorable towards Muslims after 9/11 (As you can see the number of Nos in the poll from the American's side).

Islamic schools in the US tend to be in major cities where people are very accustomed to interacting with people of different cultures and religions. I used to live a couple blocks from an Islamic school in Chicago. It was very near an area with several gay bars. I heard of a lot more incidences of gay men getting harrassed than of Muslims getting harrassed. You probably wouldn't want to just drop a Madrassa in a white bread suburban town, but in big cities, they are well tolerated. I had no problem with living near a Muslim school, or with interacting with Muslim neighbors and shopkeepers.

However, I disapprove of public funding for religious schools. Our tax dollars should pay to instill children with a common set of values and civic responsibilities. This is essential in a democratic nation. Religious schools need to find private funding. And students at religious schools should face the same standards as public school students when it comes to getting a diploma.

 

[Stacmon]

Are you sure? I've never heard of it.

Actually, it seems you may be right.

The schools aren't currently receiving the amount of public funding I thought they were, in other words not the amount of support that the Catholic school board gets, so I stand corrected. Sorry especially to you Pounder.

I know one man who has two of his three children attending one of the Islamic schools in the area (one daughter is still too young). I think the low cost compared to private schooling is due to a variety of factors, including the fact that some of the people working at the school volunteer to keep costs down. Pounder also listed a variety of things that could apply.

Now I'm more disappointed. I guess more credit should be going to the Muslim community than I've been giving them thus far. Catholics should certainly not be getting preferential treatment .