UK: Dealing with extremism in elementary school

The Danish Education Minister, Bertel Haarder, says he's following the British proposals with great interest, but the Danish teacher's union say that they doubt such methods can be effective and that it's most important to keep to the democratic traditions at Danish public schools (Berlinske, Danish)

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The Schools Secretary suggested some primary school pupils were already displaying "early warning signs" of extremist attitudes.


He called on teachers to challenge pupils sympathising with terrorists.


Guidance published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families outlined a series of recent examples of schoolchildren being confronted by extremist groups.


This included a number of pupils targeted by a far right organisation in a school car park, encouraging them to attack a local ethnic minority community, it was claimed.


Officials also told how one primary age pupil started talking in a playground about "the duty of all true Muslims to prepare for jihad war as we grow up", as well as referring to the "7/7 martyrs" with admiration.


One supply teacher left a book in a school library containing a lengthy passage about martyrdom including the phrase: "This indicates that seeking to be killed and pursuing martyrdom are legitimate and praiseworthy acts."


And in another example, primary schoolchildren told a teacher how they had been "involved in physical attacks on children outside school 'to make them go back to their own country'".


They were outlined in a document - Learning Together to be Safe - designed to encourage schools to deal with early signs of extremism.


Speaking as it was launched at a school in north London, Mr Balls said: "Violent extremism influenced by Al-Qaeda currently poses the greatest security threat but other forms of extremism and hate- or race-based prejudice are also affecting our communities and causing alienation and disaffection amongst young people.


"Our goal must be to empower our young people to come together to expose violent extremists and reject cruelty and violence in whatever form it takes."


(more)


Source: Telegraph (English)

2 comments:

joe six-pack said...

Our children reflect us. These children are only saying what their parents can't.

In any case, a troubling sign.

joe six-pack said...

I should add: Not only are they saying what their parents can't, but they are acting upon it as well.