Sir – The response to Patsy McGarry's report on the call of Dr Ali Selim ("Call for State schools to accommodate Islamic beliefs", September 3rd) to accommodate Islamic beliefs in State schools has been marked with a shocking intolerance and absence of critical thought.
John Hogan (September 4th) writes that “our schools should be run on principles guided by reason”. It is clear that the reason he refers to is neither a neutral nor inclusive option but one designed to assimilate coercively others into a conception of education which would force some to behave contrary to the tenets of their religion. The substance of belief is reasonable whether or not we agree with it. Its practice, however, must be exercised in the balance of many interests.
Rather than ridicule the observations of Dr Selim, perhaps now is the time to engage with them. – Yours, etc,
GERARD
CILLIAN DOWNEY,
Institute for International
Integration Studies,
Trinity College Dublin,
Dublin 2.
Sir, – Having just got out of the grip of one theocracy, I suggest that the people of Ireland think hard before making fundamental changes to the educational system.
Here are a few of the likely outcomes. No cinemas (in case men and women mix). No theatres. Male singers only. No music, apart from drums. All eating establishments divided into “male only” and “family” areas, with the family areas screened from the general public (yes, that includes fast-food establishments), food courts in shopping malls closed to single men on “family nights”. No female drivers, all females in public to be in the company of their guardians (husband, elder brother, uncle, etc), females only to travel outside the country with written permission of their guardians. Restricted rights of inheritance to female relatives. A morals police to check that men and women in “family” areas are actually married. Identity papers for proof of marital status. No sex education in schools.
Need I say more? – Yours, etc,
PATRICK S BRADY,
Beechmount Court,
Newbridge, Co Kildare.
Sir, – Advocates of Islam should not be facilitated to effectively take over certain State (taxpayer-funded) schools, nor to impose their beliefs on existing private schools that operate through a Christian ethos (reflecting the fact that the vast majority of Irish people are, at least nominally, Christian).
We must bear in mind what has been happening in Birmingham in the United Kingdom, where hardline Islamic parents were allowed free rein over several state schools in the city. These Islamic groups hijacked the public schools in parts of Birmingham (making girls sit at the back of the class, etc), putting them on the road to becoming madrassas paid for by the British taxpayer. If such events could happen in Birmingham, they could happen in Dublin. – Yours, etc,
JOHN B REID,
Knapton Road,
Monkstown, Co Dublin.
Sir, – In some Muslim countries girls get shot for going to school; in others they must wear full face or body coverings; and in others, such as Turkey, I have seen schoolgirls wearing uniforms I would often see in Ireland. Many of the prohibitions are to do with the culture of the country people come from and how the Muslim faith is interpreted there. As these Muslims have chosen Ireland, and I welcome the diversity, could I suggest they take a leaf out of the book of others who settled here and become more Irish than the Irish themselves? – Yours, etc,
DAVID DOYLE,
Birchfield Park,
Goatstown,
Dublin 14.
A chara, – Perhaps Dr Selim should familiarise himself with the inclusive model of education practiced in many Catholic schools throughout the country where children of many religions and none work together in an ethos of equality and respect. He could adopt this model, however imperfect, pilot it in Muslim schools in Ireland and promote it in the many countries throughout the world where minority religions struggle to be recognised or included. – Is mise,
SEÁN Ó DÍOMASAIGH
Principal,
Sacred Heart
of Jesus Primary School,
Huntstown, Dublin 15.
A chara, – Dr Selim calls for sweeping changes to our educational system to accommodate his beliefs; and secularists at once respond by resurrecting their interminable call that religion should be driven from our schools altogether. Both are arguing for the same thing – that the rights of the majority should be disregarded in favour of a minority; and, ironically, both do so in the name of diversity. Of course, if either party were to achieve their goal the result would not be diversity but precisely the opposite – a bland homogeneity that seeks to eliminate the diverse strands within our society rather than celebrating them.
Our system as it is accommodates diversity by allowing those who wish to do so to set up schools that reflect their beliefs and values. It has, for example, allowed for those with no religious beliefs or less widely held faiths to set up schools according to their preferences. Being the majority faith is no reason for the equal right of Christians to have schools in line with their own ethos attacked or undermined. – Is mise,
Rev PATRICK G BURKE,
Castlecomer,
Co Kilkenny.
Sir, – I have read with interest your newspaper’s report on the call for State schools to accommodate Islamic beliefs. I’m just wondering, if a non-Islamic student turned up at an Islamic school, would a reciprocal arrangement apply? – Yours, etc,
TOMMY MURTAGH,
River Valley Avenue,
Swords,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – I look forward to hearing Dr Selim’s call for the teaching of the principles of all faiths, and those of secular humanism, in Islamic schools and states all over the world. – Yours, etc,
MAEVE HALPIN,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – Let Dr Selim and all other religious leaders inculcate their beliefs in whoever wants to believe them on their own time and at their own expense. – Yours, etc,
DON MULLINS,
Green Road,
Carlow.
Sir, – I agree with Dr Ali Selim. There is a religious imbalance in State schools, but the solution is not to introduce more religions, it is to remove religions and the influences of religious bodies from our education system entirely. – Yours, etc,
SE LYDON,
Wilton,
Cork.