Should they be teaching racism at school??

[Turkish Delight]

DS goes to an independant muslim school.

Last night he asked me what discrimination was and i explained it to him.

He then said is it like that the muslims not liking the jews and the jews not liking the muslims?

I thought where did he learn that from? I asked him and he said from school in religious education study.

I explained to him that there was no such thing and he said that is what the teacher told the class, so it must be right.

Since when did schools start teaching racism? It is so not on. Here are teachers brainwashing kids into believing such nonsense. He would grow up thinking that he needs to "hate" jews and that the jews hate muslims.

I'll be lodging a formal complaint in writing tomorrow about this. How much they take my complaint into consideration is another issue

What points should i include in my complaint. Any ideas are welcomed.

TIA.

[kirsty_lee]

I asked dp about it and he said that muslims apparently hate the jews because they claimed the same 'holy land' and that they claim that jews are the root of all evil. Dp is one of those people that seem to know heaps of random history it's disturbing lol you can pretty much ask him about any war and he'll tell you where it happend, specific dates and why. ANyway I digress.. I don't think it's right they are teaching that sort of stuff to kids

[Mum2SweetCs]

Kids aren't born to be racist, they learn to be. Very shocked that a teacher who is suppose to be teaching equality is actually teaching the opposite.

I am glad you are taking a stand on this.

Racism of any sort is just not on.

[Turkish Delight]

I was shocked when DS said what he said. I didn't even know that the Jews hated the muslims and vice versa until only a few years ago and for him to know this at the age of 7

It's amazing that they "hate" or dislike each other when our religions are so similar. i digress too.

It is just not on as to what has been taught.

[Phteven]

If it's an Islamic school you can point out that not only are the beaking the laws of Australia but also the laws of Islam. The Quran is quite specific about the respect accorded to people of the book.
Instead of teaching this crap they should be teaching their students about the history of co-dependence and mutual trust and empathy between Muslims and Jews in places like Bosnia, Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar. There was a time that European Jews sought refuge from persecution in Europe by moving to Muslim lands and were welcomed for thier learning.

You might also want to remind them that Anti-Semitism is the flip side of the same coin as Islamaphobia. It all comes from the same place.

[Turkish Delight]

Love you Bron.

What you've pointed out is fantastic.

Can't wait to whip their a*ses tomorrow

[kirsty_lee]

it is funny that they hate each other when they are so similar.

Good on you for sticking up for yourself and the children of that school darl. Kids don't need to be taught about such hatred kwim.

[sneakysparkle]

you go girl!!

[Visitor6]

Maybe clarify what was actually taught before unleashing on the school......

Perhaps they were describing what discrimination was; the radical view was given as an example. Perhaps it was lost in the teaching and explanation to the kids.

[murraysmum]

i went to a small country school and the racsim was bad as me and about 10 others were the only white ausies we coped alott of flack same with the aborignal students and when we asked the teachers why we were singled out so much the reply was u arnt ittalian

when did that matter its australia isnt it

with the jew thing i dunno why ppl hate them so much it seems to be a global thing same with iraq ppl listen to the media and blow it out of proportion

teachers should be teaching history not changing it to suit there views

[HotI]

It may not be the school policy, but one teacher's views. I had some way out there teacher's who weren't adhering to the stated principle's of the school/religion. Good idea to clarify what was said, and in what context, first.

[Fleur]

Maybe clarify what was actually taught before unleashing on the school......

Perhaps they were describing what discrimination was; the radical view was given as an example. Perhaps it was lost in the teaching and explanation to the kids.

I would hope that it was something like this... but still if they are broaching the subject at all, then they need to be very clear about the message they are putting across. I know my own get the wrong idea about things all the time, but teachers should be aware of this & be a bit careful ...
Will be interesting to see what the school has to say today.

[Turkish Delight]

Maybe clarify what was actually taught before unleashing on the school......

Perhaps they were describing what discrimination was; the radical view was given as an example. Perhaps it was lost in the teaching and explanation to the kids.

Even so, don't you think there would be a more suitable explanation of discrimination? Rather than saying that the Jews hated the muslims and vice versa?

For example - the blonde headed people not liking the red heads or something to that effect??

[Tinks]

Using that as an example is a little too much for a 7 year old to comprehend. Good luck with the school TD. Have you drafted a letter yet?

[Turkish Delight]

Nope. But i will be this morning.

[Trillian]

I would be calling and using a nice voice to ask in exactly what context this was talked about because like you said, he's only 7 and that's a pretty huge concept to be talking about with kids that age and I think it would have been too heavy a subject for them to fully understand anything but the very very basic concept of muslims hate jews and visa versa. Then if you find out that it was something not nice, then let her rip.

[kirsty_lee]

Even so, don't you think there would be a more suitable explanation of discrimination? Rather than saying that the Jews hated the muslims and vice versa?

For example - the blonde headed people not liking the red heads or something to that effect??

:yeahthat: and it's obviously not been discussed in an age appropriate manner because it's quite clear that the 7 year old mind has taken that away from it kwim? I just don't think it's absolutely necessary and I hope it is rectified this morning.

[Turkish Delight]

Ok. i called the school as i first wanted to find out the context in which it was said in before i wrote my letter.

The receptionist was just as shocked as i was when i told her what DS had told me. She said it was totally wrong in whatever context it was told in.

I said that the teacher may have said that the muslims hate the jews and this is totally not on but what my DS has taken out of it is that the muslims hate the jews and vice versa.

The receptionist will speak to the primary co-ordinator and then get back to me.