Islamic Guernsey

So often we look across to the UK and give thanks for that stretch of water and the quirks of history.
 
There but for the grace of God go we.
 
And it’s that grace which is causing a lot of fuss at the moment with some Birmingham schools changing their Ofsted rating from Excellent to Inadequate in barely a year.
 
At the root of the problem is a number of schools with an overwhelming majority of Muslim pupils promoting an Islamic agenda which is now deemed unacceptable in a state school.
 
Prayers during the school day, imams invited in to speak to the children, lessons where they are taught and encouraged in the tenets of their religion.
 
Thank goodness we don’t have that sort of thing going on here.
 
Except that we do.
 
Just change Islamic to Catholic and Imam to Priest and welcome to Guernsey.
 
But let’s not highlight just the Catholic schools. Every school in Guernsey is legally obliged to hold a Christian based assembly and every school promotes Christian values.
 
All of this despite the fact that the majority of people on this Island are only nominally Christian and rarely if ever attend church.
 
Despite not believing ourselves, we seem quite happy to let our children be taught a doctrine which is purely faith based and has no evidence to back it. At least those parents in Birmingham believed what their kids were being taught.
 
Don’t get me wrong, I have a lot of time for the teaching of most Christian Values. I just object to one religion co-opting the values of any civilised society and taking the credit for them.
 
Children should be taught how to live in our society and how to be good human beings. It just doesn’t need to come wrapped up in a ball of mysticism carrying baggage which not even the majority of believers believe.
 
If you do follow a religion and wish the same for your children then teach them by example and at home or in your church. Leave schools to teach skills and not beliefs.
 
Of course, if we turn our heads in another direction we can see a secular system which has been practised for some time by our Gallic neighbours. Unfortunately they too seem to be getting into trouble by an overly rigid interpretation of their rules which have not adapted to the changes in their society.
 
In the land of high fashion, France has got itself into a knot over dress.
 
Put simply, how far can you acknowledge your religion in the way you dress and behave?
 
If Guernsey schools did go secular, would we allow Muslim teachers to wear a headscarf? Sikhs to wear turbans? Christians to wear crosses?
 
Why not?
 
As long as it doesn’t interfere with their ability to teach and as long as they don’t seek to impose their religion on their pupils then what’s the problem?
 
Of course, I put this as a rhetorical question. Guernsey’s educational system will not go secular nor will it seek to curb the existing faith schools.
 
We’re far too happy pointing out the mote in our neighbours eye.