Faith Schools play a very important role in providing a cultural and spiritual identity in children sharing similar views, traditions and faith. They can achieve this in an atmosphere that enables them to practice their religious traditions without feeling vulnerable, undermined, or being bullied. Faith Schools give an important understanding of family traditions, a sense of identity and pride in one's culture and religion.
The reason why individuals become indoctrinated by rigid beliefs is if they are marginalised, undermined and/or isolated. Banning Faith Schools is not the answer, but to ensure that Faith Schools do not become marginalised or rigid in their teaching is the right way forward.
Baroness Flather should focus her emphasis more on ensuring that Faith Schools do not become rigid and marginalised, by supporting and encouraging Faith Schools to widen and reach and work with other Multi-Faith schools and organisations. This can be achieved by ensuring that all Faith Schools have an open culture which learns and respects other faiths, as well as its own, and has regular interactions between other faith schools and understand the celebration of different faiths to widens tolerance. This will enable a better understanding of the values and beliefs of different faiths.
There is still a lack of understanding of different faiths in UK, and to this day the UK Government is still not enabling a day off to celebrate Diwali or Eidd, despite over 129,000 signatures in support of it. And yet Public Sector organisations are still trying to promote end encourage black and minority groups, which are still unrepresented in police forces and other government sector jobs, without allowing them a day off to celebrate their festivals.
Jayam Dalal
By email
