Since the implementation of the Prevent strategy, 400 Muslim children under the age of 10 have been referred to the ‘anti-radicalisation’ programme
Earlier this week, Ofsted head Michael Wilshaw confirmed that inspectors can downgrade schools if they feel that the wearing of the niqab – by either teachers or pupils – is impairing learning. Phrased like this, it seems a reasonable policy.
In reality, however, opening the door to penalising the wearing of Islamic dress in this way is deeply worrying.
For a start, it’s unclear exactly why the niqab might be an obstacle to learning. Muslims have been teaching, learning and otherwise communicating wearing the full-face veil for centuries in Islamic countries all around the world.
It’s also unclear why Wilshaw feels the need to single out the niqab: if inspectors feel that learning is being impaired in any way, by any item of dress or obstacle to communication, surely they are able to reflect that in their report without the niqab being specified as a potential reason for an ‘inadequate’ rating.
But this policy is particularly concerning given that it follows a trend in recent weeks and months that has seen the practise, expression or even discussion of Islam in schools as suspicious.
Since the implementation of the ‘Prevent’ strategy, 400 Muslim children under the age of 10 have been referred to the ‘anti-radicalisation’ programme, and new E-safety legislation is forcing schools to install software which tracks the use of words such as ‘Pakistan’, ‘Islam’ and ‘Quran’.
Launching a new ‘Educate against Hate’ website this week which encourages teachers to look out for ‘warning signs’ of radicalisation such as rapid conversion to religion, Education secretary Nicky Morgan admitted that conversion to Christianity ‘of course’ doesn’t count as one such warning sign – showing the clear disparity between the treatment of Christians and Muslims in this country.
When we make young Muslim children feel monitored, isolated and demonised for practising their religion in our schools, we damage irreparably community cohesion, trust and mutual respect. We lose the potential for discussion of difficult but important topics – and opportunities for truly valuable learning. Children in this country are at risk of radicalisation – but we need to tackle this through education, not demonisation.
Indeed, if Michael Wilshaw wants to eliminate barriers to learning in schools, he should perhaps look to the overassessment, rigid focus on examinations and targets, and back-breaking teacher workload which now characterise our education system. Allowing both teachers and pupils to teach, learn – and wear – what they like would do children a world of good.
Sophie van der Ham is co-chair of the Young Greens
95 Responses to “Comment: Ofsted – not the niqab – is impairing learning in schools”
Dave
Sounds like another foreign Marxist family telling the Anglo-Saxons how they should be.
Billo Qasira
‘Kryptonite’ is the exact word!
Non Muslim minorities, Hindus, Sikhs, black Christians are abandoning Labour too. They view Labour as the party of Islam.
Lennnie
As Muslims only make up 5% of the population in the UK I have to call bullshit on this one. Although I do think that no religion should influence kids’ in school.
Dave
5% of the 40million voters would be 2million votes. According to IPSOS Mori, 80% of ethnic minorities vote Labour. This implies that 1.6million votes for Labour came from Muslims. Thus 16% of Labour’s vote came from Muslims, not 25% as I stated (although you need to take account that some Muslim votes go to the LibDems to keep the Tories out in some seats). Nevertheless, without that 16% Labour would be unable to win a General Election, so the main point stands.
In passing I would also point out that Muslims make up only 1/3rd of the ethnic vote, so assuming IPSOS Mori is correct and 80% of ethnic voters go for Labour, this means Labour gets 48% of its vote from ethnic minorities. Since 1945 a staggering 7million white working class voters have stopped voting Labour to be replaced by imported voters. Once you realise this you understand why Labour is so desperate for mass immigration of any kind, and why they continually prostrate themselves in front of the growing power of Islam in the UK, and just how bereft of principle the left has become. They really would happily stand by and watch while thousands of vulnerable girls get raped for years if it gave them a chance of power. All of them would.
Rick
Clearly face coverings have to be banned.