[Marxism] Re: The hijab controversy

["Paul Flewers" <trusscott.foundation@xxxxxxxxxx>]

My opposition to religious education springs from what's happening in
Britain. Religious schools -- that is, schools that are sponsored by various
Christian, Jewish, Muslim groups -- are actually funded by the state as well
as private sources, they are in competition with state schools, and pick and
choose their pupils, from their own constituencies at first, then from the
brighter kids and/or richer parents for any spare places.

Religious schools leech off the secular state schools, diverting resources
from ordinary schools, and also -- as they are intended to -- help divide
kiddies from one another. Kids going to an Orthodox Jewish school will not
mix with kids going to another sort of Jewish school, let alone a Christian,
Muslim, secular school. They are intended to uphold and strengthen
sectarianism  -- that's poison. Last week, a local authority in Scotland
offered a Roman Catholic school space on a site partly occupied by a Church
of Scotland one; the RC bosses said yes -- but on condition that there were
separate entrances, staff rooms and toilets. So boys of two different
Christian sects can't even use the same khazi!

I want to see all kids receive an equal education, and that means real
equality and equitable funding for all schools, not state sponsoring of
sectarianism.

Paul F


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