BBC Whitewash? Trojan Horse: 25 Schools Probed Over Alleged Takeover Plot

BBC: An investigation into an alleged hard-line Islamist takeover plot of Birmingham schools has widened, with 25 schools now under the spotlight.

Birmingham City Council said it had received more than 200 reports in relation to its inquiry.

It has appointed former head teacher Ian Kershaw as its chief advisor.

Anonymous claims hard-line Muslims were trying to take over the running of some city schools were made in a letter sent to local authorities last year.

The 25 schools now being looked at include primaries, secondaries and academies.

The 200-plus reports to the council include emails and calls from staff, parents and governors. (+ BBC video) » | Monday, April 14, 2014

More Schools to Be Investigated over 'Extremist Muslim' Plot Fears

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: More schools will be investigated by the Department for Education over concerns about extremist plots to take over institutions

The number of schools to be investigated over fears children are being “radicalised” by extremist Muslims attempting to seize control of institutions has increased to 25.

Teams of inspectors are to be sent into schools and will be able to penalise those where religious conservatism is believed to be getting in the way of teaching.

The Department for Education (DfE) launched the investigation after an alleged Islamic takeover plot to force out governors and head teachers was reported in Birmingham.

An anonymous letter claiming responsibility for changes in leadership at four schools in the city says it was part of a campaign called Operation Trojan Horse. The letter set out a blueprint for seizing control of schools and claimed a radical group of Muslims were pursuing their own agenda in classrooms and forcing out head teachers and governors who refused to cooperate. Read on and comment » | Claire Carter, and agencies | Monday, April 14, 2014

My comment:

The politicians/authorities are up their necks in trouble, all caused by mass immigration. Serves them right! Trouble is that we, the people, have to suffer for their foul up. If ever we were in need of a change of narrative, we are today. Change it now! Islam is not a 'religion of peace' but a religion which brings with it only trouble and strife. Can't the fools look around them and observe? In each and every country where Islam is strong, there is trouble and strife. Yet these fools keep on with the narrative of Islam being a 'religion of peace'. – © Mark

This comment appears here too.

Bangers Ban in Hundreds of Schools
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Pork is being banned from school dinners even where the majority of parents have no religious objection to it.

Head teachers are deciding for “cultural” and “religious” reasons to drop traditional sausages and ham from children’s lunches.

One council has issued "best practice" advice to all schools in its area to “ban all pork products in order to cater for the needs of staff and pupils who are not permitted contact with these for religious reasons”.

The guidance, issued in Haringey, north London, does not specify what proportion of a school’s intake should object to the meat - which is not eaten by devout Muslims or Jews - before it is dropped.

The policy was criticised last night by MPs and farmers’ leaders, who accused head teachers of depriving other children of a choice and pointed out that all schools already offer vegetarian options.

Pabulum, a school caterer in south-east England, said that around 20 of the 48 primary schools it supplied chose only non-pork lunches.

Most serve no halal or kosher meat, however, so many Muslim or Jewish pupils would not be able to eat the dishes anyway.

In Luton, 23 out of 57 schools which contract their dinners from the local authority have a “no pork” policy. In Bradford the figure is 24 out of 160; in Newham, east London, it is 25 out of 75; in Tower Hamlets, east London, it is 85 out of 90. In Haringey’s infant, junior and primary schools, 37 out of 47 serve no pork. Read on and comment » | Julie Henry, Education Correspondent | Sunday, June 17, 2012

Homophobia Is Declining in Schools, Study Claims

THE GUARDIAN: Teenagers no longer stigmatise being gay, argues Brunel University sociologist Mark McCormack

Teenagers face far less homophobia among their peers than ever before because the stigma of being gay is melting away in secondaryschools, according to a new book.

The anti-gay prejudices of the 80s and early 90s are disappearing, claims Mark McCormack, a sociologist at Brunel University. McCormack spent six months in each of three schools in the same UK town to study attitudes of 16- to 18-year-olds. In his book, The Declining Significance of Homophobia: How Teenage Boys are Redefining Masculinity and Heterosexuality, he says that, for this age group, pro-gay attitudes are held in high esteem and homophobia is as unacceptable as racism. He also suggests that the phrase "so gay", used to rubbish things, is unrecognisable to teens as homophobic.

"A lot of prejudice is based on stigma," he added, "and actually the stigma around being gay has dropped off. The coming-out narrative is changing too, with parents being OK." The internet had helped to dispel the isolation young gay people have felt in the past, he said.

"Twenty years ago, there were few openly gay people in the media; today, you can turn on Radio 2 and there's Graham Norton, Alan Carr, Paul O'Grady, all of whom now are mainstream. There is a fundamental change in the cultural discourse. » | Tracy McVeigh | Saturday, March 03, 2012

Dhimmitude! Parents’ Fury at Town Hall Plans for Halal-only Menus in Schools
MAIL ONLINE: Parents have expressed fury at plans to serve pupils halal-only menus for school dinners.

In a move which has also enraged animal welfare groups, only meat from animals killed and prepared using Islamic teaching will be allowed at 52 primaries in Harrow.

Critics say the plan puts the needs of Muslim children before those of other faiths, while parents say they have not been consulted over the scheme.

Schools are free to opt in to the programme or look elsewhere for their meals from the start of next month, according to Harrow Council.

The local authority is thought to be the first in England to insist on a halal-only menu apparently after recommendations of dietitians.

According to the 2001 Census, Harrow is one of the most religiously diverse areas in Britain with fewer than 50 per cent of the population Christian, a fifth Hindu and 7 per cent Jewish.

Using the halal method, animals are slaughtered by being slashed across the neck and being left so that the blood drains from the carcass.

The religious ritual, which does not allow the animals to be stunned beforehand, is considered cruel by campaigners and is exempt from animal welfare laws.

Harrow resident Sheila Murphy said: 'I am appalled at Harrow Council’s decision to serve only Halal meat in the borough’s schools. >>> Daily Mail Reporter | Thursday, August 05, 2010

Stupidity Alert! Schools Should Not Force Girls to Wear Skirts – It Discriminates Against Transsexuals, Warns Watchdog
Photograph: Mail On Sunday
MAIL ONLINE: For generations, the skirt has been an integral part of a girl's school uniform.

But the Government's human rights watchdog says schools who force girls to wear skirts may be breaking the law because the policy discriminates against transsexuals.

Official guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission warns schools that the dress code may breach the rights of girls who feel compelled to live as boys.

In a 68-page report on the human rights of transsexuals, the watchdog says that 'requiring pupils to wear gender-specific clothes is potentially unlawful'.

It says that research conducted for its report found that 'pupils born female with gender dysphoria experienced great discomfort being forced to wear stereotypical girls’ clothes — for example a skirt'. >>> Artheur Martin | Sunday, February 21, 2010

Studying History Is Vital - There Are Obvious Lessons for David Cameron
THE TELEGRAPH: Churchill and Thatcher had to win elections to rescue Britain’s economy and values, says Jeff Randall.

As part of its drive towards the lowest common denominator in education, Labour has allowed the teaching of history to vanish from the curriculum at many state schools. Thousands of pupils drop the subject at 13, and only three in 10 fifth-formers take it at GCSE.

The thinking behind this classroom vandalism is that history, along with pure sciences and foreign languages, is a “hard” subject, much more likely to be failed than less academic courses, such as leisure and tourism.

Under a regime that focuses on quotas rather than quality, little Johnny at the bog-standard comprehensive is encouraged to play the soft-option system. He gains a fistful of qualifications, but ends up knowing nothing of the past and can barely write a note to the milkman.

This is a shame. History has much to teach us in today’s financial crisis, not least that we have been here before in one form or another. The economy is in a mess, government spending is out of control, and our currency is being devalued. Desperate ministers, fearing disaster at the polls, seek to denigrate opponents by labelling them “toffs”.

Put another way: “Our finances have been brought into grave disorder. No British Government in peace time has ever had the power or spent the money in the vast extent and reckless manner of our current rulers... no community living in a world of competing nations can possibly afford such frantic extravagances... the evils which we suffer today are the inevitable progeny of that wanton way of living.”

This analysis, crisp and incontrovertible, could have been penned last week by David Cameron to sum up Gordon Brown’s shambles. It comes, however, not from the current Tory leader but Winston Churchill in the Conservative Party’s manifesto for the general election of 1951. Much has changed since then, yet the immediate political challenge facing Mr Cameron is not dissimilar to the task Churchill confronted 59 years ago. >>> Jeff Randall | Thursday, February 18, 2010

United Kingdom: Islam Ousting Christianity from School Assembly
THE TELEGRAPH: Almost 100,000 pupils are being taught in schools which have dropped Christian assemblies in favour of Islamic or multi-faith worship.

Children from Oaklands Preparatory school praying in assembly, Manchester, Britain – 1981. Photograph: The Telegraph
If we Brits put up with this, we’ve got to be stupid! – © Mark
More than 230 schools have applied to councils for exemption from the legal requirement to hold a daily act of collective worship of a "wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character".

In some of these schools, Islamic assemblies are held instead, with readings from the Koran. Other schools run secular or multi-faith assemblies where Christianity is avoided or relegated to just one example of a faith among many.

Religious organisations said Christianity in schools was being marginalised and accused schools of failing children.

"The worst thing of all that schools can do, whether they have a determination or not, is a multi-faith mish mash," said Colin Hart, the director of the Christian Institute.

"The British Social Attitudes survey found that 69 per cent of parents backed daily prayers in schools. Yet Christianity in schools is being marginalised. Parents do not want assemblies to be either secular or a confusing amalgam of faiths. Look at the massive number of parents of other faiths who apply to Church schools. They don't like the secularism that is pervading community schools."

The scale of the opt-out can be revealed for the first time after 105 councils in England responded to a Freedom of Information request from The Sunday Telegraph. More than 230 schools have ditched Christian assemblies >>> Julie Henry, Education Correspondent | Saturday, January 09, 2010

Johann Hari: Violence Against Gay People Can – and Must – Be Stopped
THE INDEPENDENT: The answer lies in changing the culture of two institutions - schools and the police

The fight to win legal equality for gay people is almost won in Britain – yet the taste of champagne has been tainted by an unexpected dash of blood. In the past few years, gay people have finally begun to exercise the same rights as their straight siblings, yet there has been a sharp surge in violence against us.

In London, recorded homophobic attacks are up by 20 per cent. In Glasgow it's 32 per cent; in Liverpool it's 40 per cent; in Greater Manchester it's 63 per cent. James Parks is only the latest face to be kicked in by this trend: last week, the off-duty police officer left a club in Liverpool with his boyfriend and was lynched by a group of 20 teenagers who smashed his skull and left him close to death.

In a recession, violence always rises, and violence against minorities rises more. Attacks on Muslims, Jews, and black people are also spiking across Britain. But recorded violence against gay people has shown the most extreme rise. Last year, an 18 year-old hairdresser in Liverpool called Michael Causer was sleeping on a friend's sofa after a party when he was woken up. A witness testified that a group of teenagers yelled, "You little queer faggot!" They said they were going to cut out his body-piercings with a knife, and started burning his legs with a lighter. He was found bleeding to death later, dumped in the road outside, after having his head smashed in with a hardback book.

At the trial, one of the 19-year-olds tried for the murder said he was acting "in self-defence" – against a smaller, seven-and-a-half stone boy with no history of violent behaviour. A witness said that during the attack, he had yelled: "He's a little queer, he deserves it!" Yet the jury found him not guilty.

What can we do to stop this surge? The answer does not lie in new laws; these attacks are already highly illegal. It lies in changing the culture of two core British institutions that are still tolerating anti-gay bigotry – our schools, and our police service. >>> Johann Hari | Wednesday, November 04, 2009

MEPs Call for Compulsory 'EU Lessons' in Schools
THE TELEGRAPH: MEPs are calling for school pupils to be forced to take European Union lessons to counter "lies" about Brussels.

EU flag. Photo: The Telegraph
Leaders of the centre-right EPP grouping in the European Parliament say there should be compulsory classes for 14-year-olds in all member states.

The calls are being led by Mario David, a Portuguese MEP who was chief of staff to European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso when he was the country's prime minister.

He claimed the controversy surrounding the Lisbon Treaty demonstrated their was widespread ignorance of the EU's work.

"All the debates about the constitution and then the Lisbon Treaty showed a great deal of lying, cheating and mistrust about the EU," he said.

"In Ireland people were told there was going to be abortion across the EU, that young men would be conscripted into a European Army. This was a bunch of lies.

"Knowing and understanding, from a young age, the principles, the procedures and the successful history of the European Union, the generations of tomorrow will be immune to any distortion of the perception of the role of the EU and will much better embrace the advantages of this unique project of voluntary sharing of sovereignty."

He said the curriculum would initially include a series of five half-day seminars on the history of the union.

It would cover the "Founding Fathers", the different treaties, enlargement, EU functions, the role of the union in the world and "How the EU affects everyday lives". >>> Leigh Phillips in Brussels | Thursday, October 15, 2009

NUT goes NUTs and Fails to Find Its NUTs Over the Koran!
Image courtesy of Google Images
DAILY EXPRESS: STATE schools should be forced to open their doors to Islamic preachers teaching the Koran, the largest classroom union demanded yesterday.

The National Union of Teachers’ conference also said existing religious schools – almost all of them Christian – should have to admit pupils from other faiths.



The union’s general secretary Steve Sinnott said that allowing Muslim imams to preach in schools would be a way to reunite divided communities.



But the proposals prompted immediate outrage. Conservative Party backbencher Mark Pritchard said: “This is just further appeasement for Muslim militants.



“We should just follow the existing laws on religious education, which state that it should be of a predominantly Christian character. All this will do is further divide many communities that are already split on religious lines.”


Speaking as delegates met at the hard-Left-dominated union’s annual conference, Mr Sinnott admitted that his plan would amount to religious indoctrination inside taxpayer-backed schools rather than simple teaching of what different religions believe.



He said: “This is more than simple religious education, it’s religious instruction.”



The proposals include providing private Muslim prayer facilities in schools. But Mr Sinnott stressed that no pupils would be forced to have any religious instruction.



The union, however, also called for all daily religious assemblies, which by law are supposed to have a Christian character, to be abandoned. Fury Over Plan to Teach Koran in Schools >>> By Gabriel Milland

Mark Alexander (Paperback)
Mark Alexander (Hardback)

No Total Ban on Niqab in British Schools

DAILY MAIL: Veils will not be banned in schools, ministers have decided.

Guidelines issued by the Government yesterday state that heads 'may be justified' in outlawing religious dress that covers pupils' faces.

But ministers stopped short of issuing an outright ban on full-face Islamic veils, saying it was up to schools to decide uniform policy for themselves.

The guidance led to accusations that the Government had only confused the issue and left heads 'walking a tightrope'.

It means that schools could still face legal challenges if they attempt to outlaw garments such as the niqab, which covers the entire face apart from a slit for the eyes. Muslim pupils won't face outright ban on wearing the veil (more) By Laura Clark

Mark Alexander