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Report Cites ‘Aggressive’ Islamic Push in British City’s Schools Report Cites ‘Aggressive’ Islamic Push in British City’s Schools
(about 1 month later)
LONDON — First there was an anonymous letter outlining an Islamic takeover of British schools in Muslim neighborhoods ominously called Operation Trojan Horse. Then the letter was found to be riddled with inaccuracies and widely deemed to be a hoax. LONDON — First there was an anonymous letter outlining an Islamic takeover of British schools in Muslim neighborhoods ominously called Operation Trojan Horse. Then the letter was found to be riddled with inaccuracies and widely deemed to be a hoax.
Now a report by a former antiterrorism chief suggests that some of the concerns raised by the letter — fake or not — may in fact be real, the latest twist in a tortured debate about how to reconcile Islam and Britishness in a country that has one of Western Europe’s largest Muslim communities.Now a report by a former antiterrorism chief suggests that some of the concerns raised by the letter — fake or not — may in fact be real, the latest twist in a tortured debate about how to reconcile Islam and Britishness in a country that has one of Western Europe’s largest Muslim communities.
According to the report by Peter Clarke, the former head of Scotland Yard’s counterterrorism command, there was “coordinated, deliberate and sustained action to introduce an intolerant and aggressive Islamic ethos into a few schools in Birmingham.”According to the report by Peter Clarke, the former head of Scotland Yard’s counterterrorism command, there was “coordinated, deliberate and sustained action to introduce an intolerant and aggressive Islamic ethos into a few schools in Birmingham.”
Mr. Clarke said there was no evidence of actual radicalization, violence or encouragement of terrorism. But he told the BBC that “there’s clearly been a wish to introduce what has been described as a conservative religious agenda into those schools.”Mr. Clarke said there was no evidence of actual radicalization, violence or encouragement of terrorism. But he told the BBC that “there’s clearly been a wish to introduce what has been described as a conservative religious agenda into those schools.”
Islamic hard-liners had gained influence on school boards, he said, “installing sympathetic head teachers or senior members of staff, appointing like-minded people to key positions, and seeking to remove head teachers who they do not feel to be sufficiently compliant with their agenda.”Islamic hard-liners had gained influence on school boards, he said, “installing sympathetic head teachers or senior members of staff, appointing like-minded people to key positions, and seeking to remove head teachers who they do not feel to be sufficiently compliant with their agenda.”
Among the concerns highlighted in the report were calls to Friday Prayer broadcast over loudspeakers that were apparently stopped during a school inspection and complaints that female members of staff were not treated equally.Among the concerns highlighted in the report were calls to Friday Prayer broadcast over loudspeakers that were apparently stopped during a school inspection and complaints that female members of staff were not treated equally.
Britain’s new education secretary, Nicky Morgan, reporting the results of the investigation to Parliament on Tuesday, called the findings “disturbing.” She said some teachers were likely to face disciplinary action and some might even be barred from the profession.Britain’s new education secretary, Nicky Morgan, reporting the results of the investigation to Parliament on Tuesday, called the findings “disturbing.” She said some teachers were likely to face disciplinary action and some might even be barred from the profession.
In Birmingham, a city in the English heartland where more than one in five inhabitants are Muslim, some current and former staff members at some of the handful of schools in question do not dispute that the teaching staff and leadership in majority-Muslim neighborhoods had become more diversified. But they said that what had been characterized as meddling by extremists was mostly Muslims advocating to improve their children’s educational performance.In Birmingham, a city in the English heartland where more than one in five inhabitants are Muslim, some current and former staff members at some of the handful of schools in question do not dispute that the teaching staff and leadership in majority-Muslim neighborhoods had become more diversified. But they said that what had been characterized as meddling by extremists was mostly Muslims advocating to improve their children’s educational performance.
One public high school at the heart of the Trojan Horse controversy, Park View Academy, was ranked as one of the worst schools in Birmingham in the 1990s, with most students failing their final exams. But by 2012 it had received top marks from school inspectors, and nearly four in every five of its students now go on to university.One public high school at the heart of the Trojan Horse controversy, Park View Academy, was ranked as one of the worst schools in Birmingham in the 1990s, with most students failing their final exams. But by 2012 it had received top marks from school inspectors, and nearly four in every five of its students now go on to university.
Last week, members of the trust running Park View resigned collectively in protest at what they called a coordinated and vicious offensive. The chairman of the trust, Tahir Alam, said he and his colleagues were proud of the work they had done to turn around schools like Park View at a time when “no one much cared about the young people of east Birmingham, when their schools were failing them for decades.”Last week, members of the trust running Park View resigned collectively in protest at what they called a coordinated and vicious offensive. The chairman of the trust, Tahir Alam, said he and his colleagues were proud of the work they had done to turn around schools like Park View at a time when “no one much cared about the young people of east Birmingham, when their schools were failing them for decades.”
Reacting to Tuesday’s report, Mr. Alam said meeting the religious needs of students had been an important part of tackling “issues of low expectations and systemic failure” and there had indeed been “very stiff resistance from many heads in Birmingham schools.” He accused the previous education secretary, Michael Gove, who had commissioned the report but was removed from his post in a cabinet reshuffle last week, of being the driving force behind months of scrutiny that he said had brought the school’s reputation “to the point of destruction.” Early in the process, Mr. Gove had angered Muslims when he vowed to “drain the swamp” of extremism.Reacting to Tuesday’s report, Mr. Alam said meeting the religious needs of students had been an important part of tackling “issues of low expectations and systemic failure” and there had indeed been “very stiff resistance from many heads in Birmingham schools.” He accused the previous education secretary, Michael Gove, who had commissioned the report but was removed from his post in a cabinet reshuffle last week, of being the driving force behind months of scrutiny that he said had brought the school’s reputation “to the point of destruction.” Early in the process, Mr. Gove had angered Muslims when he vowed to “drain the swamp” of extremism.
One teacher in Birmingham, a non-Muslim who declined to be identified for fear of losing his job, said Tuesday, “Clarke wrote the report that Gove wanted him to write.”One teacher in Birmingham, a non-Muslim who declined to be identified for fear of losing his job, said Tuesday, “Clarke wrote the report that Gove wanted him to write.”
Some opposition lawmakers urged Ms. Morgan to win back the trust of parents. “We need ministers who drop the divisive rhetoric which Mr. Gove has used in the past,” Liam Byrne, a Labour lawmaker, told the BBC. “At times in east Birmingham we have felt like we are just a football in Michael Gove’s culture wars.”Some opposition lawmakers urged Ms. Morgan to win back the trust of parents. “We need ministers who drop the divisive rhetoric which Mr. Gove has used in the past,” Liam Byrne, a Labour lawmaker, told the BBC. “At times in east Birmingham we have felt like we are just a football in Michael Gove’s culture wars.”
Tensions have been notably on the rise since the killing last year of a white soldier on a London street by two British-born Muslims, and there has been growing concern about a steady stream of Britons heading to fight as jihadists in Syria. Hate crimes against Muslims have been rising, too.Tensions have been notably on the rise since the killing last year of a white soldier on a London street by two British-born Muslims, and there has been growing concern about a steady stream of Britons heading to fight as jihadists in Syria. Hate crimes against Muslims have been rising, too.
But Ms. Morgan suggested that fear of being accused of racism and anti-Islamic views had allowed a “small number of people with a shared ideology” to take over schools.But Ms. Morgan suggested that fear of being accused of racism and anti-Islamic views had allowed a “small number of people with a shared ideology” to take over schools.
These people had “a restricted and narrow interpretation of their faith,” and had failed to promote fundamental British values and to challenge the extremist views of others, she said.These people had “a restricted and narrow interpretation of their faith,” and had failed to promote fundamental British values and to challenge the extremist views of others, she said.
Particularly shocking, she said, was evidence of a social media group, called the “Park View Brotherhood,” used by some staff members of Park View. According to Mr. Clarke’s report, the group’s online chats included explicit homophobia; offensive comments about British soldiers; a stated ambition to increase gender segregation in the school; and a constant undercurrent of anti-Western, anti-American and anti-Israeli sentiment. Untangling religiousness from extremism has proved especially tricky in a country that has never drawn a clear line between state and religion: The queen is both head of state and head of the Anglican Church. Public schools, while nondenominational, do not just tolerate the opportunity for collective worship, but require it.Particularly shocking, she said, was evidence of a social media group, called the “Park View Brotherhood,” used by some staff members of Park View. According to Mr. Clarke’s report, the group’s online chats included explicit homophobia; offensive comments about British soldiers; a stated ambition to increase gender segregation in the school; and a constant undercurrent of anti-Western, anti-American and anti-Israeli sentiment. Untangling religiousness from extremism has proved especially tricky in a country that has never drawn a clear line between state and religion: The queen is both head of state and head of the Anglican Church. Public schools, while nondenominational, do not just tolerate the opportunity for collective worship, but require it.
That worship is to be “wholly or mainly” Christian in character, official guidelines say. But in schools where the overwhelming majority of students are Muslims, head teachers can request special dispensation to hold Islamic assemblies instead.That worship is to be “wholly or mainly” Christian in character, official guidelines say. But in schools where the overwhelming majority of students are Muslims, head teachers can request special dispensation to hold Islamic assemblies instead.
Some educational experts say the only long-term solution to the question of how much religion is too much is to end all worship in state schools.Some educational experts say the only long-term solution to the question of how much religion is too much is to end all worship in state schools.
The requirement has “led the community quite naturally to think that religion, apart from the agreed syllabus, had legitimate wider influence on the curriculum. It does not,” Tim Brighouse, a former chief education officer of Birmingham and schools commissioner for London, wrote in The Guardian.The requirement has “led the community quite naturally to think that religion, apart from the agreed syllabus, had legitimate wider influence on the curriculum. It does not,” Tim Brighouse, a former chief education officer of Birmingham and schools commissioner for London, wrote in The Guardian.
“Legislation is now needed to replace the act of worship clause with the need to promote pluralism and respect for those with different faiths and none, while making sure that schools stand for those values that underpin a peaceful and civilized society.”“Legislation is now needed to replace the act of worship clause with the need to promote pluralism and respect for those with different faiths and none, while making sure that schools stand for those values that underpin a peaceful and civilized society.”