I am sorry if I was unclear. The public school system I was referring to is respectful of all religions while imposing none. Teachers may teach the cultural significance of different holidays or about different religions but are not required to. There is no overt mention of theology of any sort; no Nativity scene at Christmas, no Passion of Christ at Easter, no morning Lord’s Prayer. All religions are accommodated so that prayer times and space are provided on request. During Ramadan a separate room from the cafeteria is provided and parent volunteers lead prayers during the “lunch hour”. Jehovah’s Witnesses are not required to listen to or sing the National Anthem, they may spend that time in the hall, and then return to class when it is finished. All forms of cover are accepted. Sikhs are allowed to carry a kirpan. This religious diversity and cultural has been provincial policy for decades.

When I said the schools are “full of Muslims” I meant only that there were substantial numbers, not just 1 or 2, more like 30% of a class, and the others include Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, etc

The schools described in the article are ISNA schools, private ones, that are Islamic by definition, require cover, prayer etc.

John–I agree that the Roman Catholic schools have been more liberal often than many assume. They also teach evolution. It does seem to be the Protestant American literalists who are leading the way on this. Rather a new form of onward Christian soldiering.

Okay, I shall submit this and pray for Divine protection of the electrical system. Amen.

I was a very smart little kid, reading (and comprehending) materials far beyond my school years. In third grade, I was completely taken up with the book, The Science of Life, 1934 book by H.G. Wells, Julian Huxley, et al., explaining Darwin’s theories. I used to bring the book to school to read during recess or after I’d finished class assignments before the others. I got in trouble for the book, not for its text, but because of the illustrations, if they were telling the truth. The nun’s thought them too graphic for elementary school and asked my parents to have me keep it at home. I did and I still have the book!

This might have been an example of religious intolerance to the theory of evolution, but I don’t think so. The Catholic Church had already come out in, if not full support (which it does now), than in at least leaving the idea open for discussion, not anathemetizing it as it had Galileo’s theories centuries earlier.

Now, this was over 50 years ago. Things weren’t exactly enlightened. The nuns, for instance, frowned seriously on a Catholic student’s going to a Protestant church on Sunday. But they didn’t demonize, they didn’t slight other religions, even the ‘pagans’.

Why would the schools be considered multicultural and diverse when clearly your description of them is not multicultural at all and seems to be primarily if not solely Islamic? Also, how if it is public school are they able to embrace one religion, culture etc, while excluding others?

In the USA it is not allowed (but I am quite sure it probably happens) and in fact there is a tendency to remove ANY holiday from the public school system to be politically correct. My daughter went to a public school that did exactly that. Many parents wanted the school to touch upon each of the major faiths represented by the school. Islam was almost nonexistant at the school with the exception of a few students, but most parents wanted them to touch upon the major faiths including Islam as a way of opening up a dialogue about other faiths…the school declined and removed any reference to holidays not only from the curriculum but from the library as well…I know because I used to volunteer there.

My daughter now goes to a school that will talk about different faiths…in fact in 7th grade she will have to do projects on and study all the major faiths. I like this approach better…Being exclusionary unless it is a school specifically for that religion I think is a bad way to go.

The finding that Canadian Muslims in Islamic schools are both more Islamically rejecting of evolution and more American in their rejection seems to me easy to explain, but of course should be researched further. The area they are talking about the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) or “905 region” (905 telephone area code) has excellent public schools full of Muslim students from a variety of places, particularly South Asia, Asia, and Africa. The schools accomodate prayer times, Ramadan, Eids, and all degrees of covering. The policy is officially multicultural and diverse. No Christian teaching is given or required, eg no Lord’s Prayer in the morning, no Nativity scenes or plays, etc. In other words, parents concerned about their children maintaining their culture and religion have no worries about sending them to these schools which are ranked high academically and free. Those parents who are more conservative are the ones paying for the private Islamic schools described, which are proudly more conservative in their Islamic teachings. American creationist teaching materials in English are obviously easily available by online order, or even a day trip over the border to Greater Downtown Buffalo, NY (side bonus, the Zoo!).

Sandy–the things they don’t prepare you for in mothering school! LOL