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Religious Education - American Style
Islam Online, Chicago, IL Muslim students in Muslim countries all over the world have a distinct advantage over their American counterparts - Islamic education. Although many schools fail to reach the ideals of Islamic education, they are founded in good spirits and intention and the overall atmosphere is worlds apart from the super-secular environment of American public schools. Many Muslims came to America for higher education and good opportunities. Ironically, they find themselves unhappy about the American educational system their children face. Fortunately, the presence of Muslim communities and Islam in America is ever growing, and Muslims today can come together to address this important issue. It's a different world today and parents of all backgrounds and religions are becoming very concerned about the educational environment to which their children are exposed. Many feel that the strict separation of church and state has led to another problem - a void of any type of moral or value-driven direction in schools. The answer for many lies in alternative education - schools that lie beyond the arm of the government and are therefore free to innovate and teach in more creative ways than public schools are allowed. Another popular option is homeschooling. The benefits are obvious - controlling the content and form of our children's education is imperative if we are to firmly ingrain our religious and moral values in them. As Muslims in a very liberal society, this is even more the case. There are, however, certain costs involved. Many argue that the isolation of alternative education may negatively affect Muslim children. For many immigrant families the main obstacle to great success has been an inability to "play the game." While most came as educated, resourceful people, accents could not be erased and customs could not be changed. I do not say this as an insult to those who came to America - my own family was among them. However, it does take more than an education to get ahead here, and that is why, for many, alternative education is simply too alternative. The trend towards homeschooling and private education is strong, and understandable. But I ask those parents who are eager to bypass mainstream American education to consider several factors. First is the ability to "play the game" that I mentioned earlier. What is significant is that Muslim students bring with them a religious understanding and personality, not that they remove themselves completely from anything contrary to that. Integration is not always a negative concept. Secondly, being in the mainstream school system makes advancement easier. A significant problem that many homeschoolers face is that of how GRE scores are seen compared to a standard high school diploma. Also, many respected competitions and opportunities that are common to all public schools are out of the reach of other students. It's an unfortunate state that is being addressed, however a problem nonetheless. The final concern I would like to bring to light is considered by many to be the most disturbing one - the state of our Muslim educators. Our Muslim students can excel, even considering the special obstacles that non-traditional students face, but it requires Islamic schools and educators that can be truly competitive. After voicing these concerns for our Muslim students, I confess that I myself did not attend public school. Although I have done well for myself, I remain skeptical of an American-Muslim educational system that is still premature and somewhat unready to address the educational needs of its students. Our teachers need proper education and certification. Our schools need proper funding and resources. Our students need the competitive nature and opportunities of American public schooling
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