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Right to pull out children from RE questioned
ALLOWING parents to withdraw children from religious education classes is hampering efforts to tackle divided communities, a senior Tory has claimed.
Tariq Ahmad, the party's new vice chairman for cities, said the classes could help promote tolerance and an understanding of other faiths in youngsters at an early age but allowing children to be removed from lessons on other religions undermined those efforts.
In an interview with the Yorkshire Post, Mr Ahmad, a Muslim councillor in London, also said the Government has been too lenient in allowing extremists and preachers of hate into the country.
And he warns migrants have a "responsibility" to integrate themselves into society, saying. "It's not Muslim against the West. I'm a Muslim of the West."
Mr Ahmad, who was handpicked by David Cameron for the vice chairman's role and is on the Tories' A-list of favoured
candidates for a parliamentary seat, has previously warned that the biggest challenge Britain faces is the "fragmentation of the country", and regards community cohesion as one of the top issues to tackle in Yorkshire's cities.
"With RE lessons we give an opportunity still in local schools for parents to exclude children," said Mr Ahmad. "How will we build a common understanding between different communities and faiths until we have a core understanding of what their core beliefs are? That starts at an early age.
"We should take a careful look at that. What we're firstly demonstrating is exclusion. We're taking out children at a very early age of learning about different communities.
"In many ways I feel the way forward would be for parents to be told this is part of the curriculum and the child must be there."
Teaching of religious education has often been a contentious issue, sparking a major dispute in 1996 when Muslim parents withdrew about 1,500 pupils from lessons at schools in West Yorkshire in protest over lessons.
Under the Education Act 1996, schools must provide religious education for all registered pupils, although parents can choose to withdraw their children. Local education authorities draw up their syllabus for the lessons.
Mr Ahmad, who was a school governor between 2003 and 2006, says parents are often poorly informed by schools about the syllabus and purpose of RE lessons, believing they are about trying to convert people rather than giving children an understand of the beliefs and values of other faiths.
His comments, however, were branded "breathtaking" by one Labour MP who said the Tories have "not got a clue" about the inner cities.
The vice chairman (cities) role, which involves working alongside shadow ministers to draw up policy, was last held by Dewsbury Peer Baroness Warsi – now the Tories' Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion.
Mr Ahmad takes it up at a time when David Cameron is making bold moves into Labour territory claiming the Tories are the party of "fairness" and pledging to mend social breakdown in towns and cities.
Mr Ahmad's father moved to Britain from Pakistan in 1953, bringing up his son on "core values" of working hard for yourself and your community.
Tariq attended a Church of England school, even playing Jesus in the nativity play, and with three uncles living in Leeds he identifies areas like Chapeltown as having deep-rooted problems, particularly in relation to community integration, which his role will focus on.
He admits easing community tensions and achieving integrating will take generations but believes building understanding in children is the way forward.
Britain has been "too lenient" on extremists wanting to come to this country, he says, calling for much tougher restrictions.
"Britain's an incredible place. Not only are you allowed to practise your faith and preach your faith; you can propagate your faith too. The freedoms of the country allow us to do that. If anyone's coming here and using those freedoms to attack the same country providing you those freedoms, something's gone too wrong," he said.
Last night, however, Leeds North East's Labour MP Fabian Hamilton said: "I find it breathtaking the Tories can even talk about community cohesion in places like Chapeltown.
"They haven't got a clue. Their policies over 18 years contributed to the most appalling community breakdown."
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Tuesday 07 February 2012
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