Miss, do you want to become a Muslim too?
Teacher and researcher Marietje Beemsterboer challenges the prejudice that Islamic primary schools exclude children from society.
Image: Kelly Schalke-Visser
In Islamic schools the image arises of a closed stronghold with veiled girls and boys reciting verses from the Quran. The impression is that Islamic primary schools exclude students from society.
But the picture is not correct, concludes researcher and teacher Marietje Beemsterboer in research for which she obtained her PhD at Leiden University last summer: "Education contributes to integration and prepares students for a life in Dutch society."
That conclusion came as a surprise to many. Did it surprise you too?
"Not so. Perhaps that is because, as a teacher, I think it goes without saying that you adapt your education to the target group. An Islamic primary school in the Netherlands adapts its education to the Islamic home situation of the students, but prepares children for a future in the Netherlands. It probably surprises many people, because it goes against their conscious or unconscious prejudices and fear. ”
What prejudices are you referring to?
“If children want to eat gluten or sugar-free at school because they have celiac disease or type 1 diabetes, many people understand that. But when parents ask for halal treats, it feels different and people sometimes think of radicalizing Muslims. We have difficulty with the conviction that lies behind it. Parents who want to raise their child sugar-free, for example, also encounter criticism and misunderstanding. We have an opinion about that and we feel sorry for the child. A medical necessity has a greater capacity than rules that people want to adhere to based on a conviction. From a social point of view it is weighed differently. ”
You interviewed a total of 75 staff members of 19 Islamic primary schools: board members, teachers and religious teachers. How did you like it in the schools?
Surely they won't shake hands? en They only speak Arabic there, don't they? are comments I heard beforehand. The opposite turned out to be true. I felt welcome at all schools, I didn't have to wear a headscarf, the staff spoke Dutch, all schools met the attainment targets and the children were taught using regular teaching methods. Moreover, 50 to 60 percent of the teachers in the schools are non-Muslim. ”
What shows that it is an Islamic primary school?
There are quite a few differences between the 52 Islamic primary schools in the Netherlands. The difference is in the balance between the connection with the home situation and the Dutch context. Nine schools have an 'open' concept, linking up as much as possible with the Dutch context. Three schools are more 'closed'; they more often choose to adapt to the Islamic home situation. The other XNUMX schools are in between. In more closed schools, for example, wearing a headscarf is mandatory and boys and girls sit in separate rows in the classroom. The boundaries mainly depend on the line that the school chooses together with the staff, school board and parents. ”
PhD candidate Marietje Beemsterboer: 'I hope my research can take away much of the fear'
How do these schools differ from each other in terms of education?
“Differences are in the artistic subjects, for example. Closed schools do not work with melody instruments; that are fraught with Islam. Music that provokes sensual behavior in terms of text or rhythm is usually disapproved. In the same vein, the use of musical instruments is often frowned upon and the average radio station is taboo. In more open schools, a guitar or piano is more often used based on the idea that children should get to know different musical instruments. There are also movements within Islam in which depicting living beings is not allowed, because god is the only creator of living beings. For that reason, the visual arts classes often work with geometric figures. ”
Children in group 1/2 of IBS Ababil in Schiedam. Marietje Beemsterboer felt welcome at the Islamic schools she attended. (Image: Joost Bataille and Kelly Schalke-Visser)
“In general, the tendency is that the Dutch context is increasingly included in policy. You also see that closed schools are also closed less. So they are increasingly growing towards the Dutch primary schools. ”
What are the differences in religious perception between open and closed schools?
“In a more closed school, wearing a headscarf and memorizing Quranic verses is important. In an open school it is more often about the meaning of these verses for your life and the emphasis is more on internalizing the faith. Here too, people like to see girls wearing a headscarf, but it is not an obligation. ”
You have concluded that the school contributes to integration. How is that possible?
“The Islamic identity gives students a sense of security. Within that it is not strange to ask for a halal treat and it is normal that you do not get a gift at home with Sinterklaas. A child can be himself without constantly having to defend himself, and so can parents. From that sense of security, the school can offer educational content that can be experienced as exciting. A powerful example is education about sexual diversity. When a Muslim child hears a teacher in public primary school saying that it is important to accept homosexuality, he thinks, “The teacher may not know, but this is incompatible with the Islamic faith. So this does not apply to me. ' When the religion teacher at the Islamic school says that homosexuality should be accepted in the Netherlands, that message comes in from a familiar context: the student feels safe and the parents support it. This sense of security makes it possible to address topics that may not be easily discussed at home and that may be less effective in the context of a non-Islamic school. ”
Earlier you explored the role and influence of religious denomination in education. Do you see any similarities between Islamic schools and Christian schools?
"Sure. In the Netherlands, according to Article 23 of the constitution, schools are free to have a religious signature. On the other hand, they are required to provide objective education about religion. However, the government cannot oblige a school to be objective about its own religious signature. After all: how do you test that? That is a gray area. The intention at every school should be to educate students about different religions and convey respect for dissenters. How am I a good person? How do I deal with diversity? How do I start the conversation in class? Schools with a clear identity profile, such as reformational schools, sometimes want to arm students based on their identity against outside influences. This does not have to bite objectivity, it depends on how sharply you conduct the discussion. Similarly, in Islamic schools, on the one hand, religious lessons are given in which children are introduced to the content of the Koran and Hadith, while at the same time much attention is paid to other beliefs in life. The religion lessons also explain who Sinterklaas is, which traditions are hidden behind the feast and what the origins of Christmas and Easter are. ”
The sense of security makes it possible to broach topics that may not be easily discussed at home
Could you work in an Islamic school yourself?
“Yes, easy! You have the same children in the classroom as in a big city. In the schoolyard a boy ran up to me: "Look teacher, I won a lot of marbles." I saw a proud head with sparkly eyes and a hand that opened with a large marble in it. There was also a girl who asked, "Miss, do you really want to become a Muslim?" Just a question that shows curiosity and an open attitude. ”
"At a school with a closed concept I would have to wear a headscarf and leave the radio off, but I would - from my heart - work with children in the same way."
Religion is a common thread in your research work. What is your motivation?
“I have always found philosophy to be a wonderful profession. What fascinates me is that people can think of themselves as both happy and unhappy from their religion. For me personally, religion is related to hope and connection: my mother lighting a candle for a sick person or when I have an important exam. But in my high school there was also a girl who was crying with grief because she was the only one who read the Bible and therefore feared that she was the only one to go to heaven. ”
“There is a lot of tension surrounding Islam that I can look at from a distance. The fierceness that people display when an Islamic primary school is founded in their area cannot be matched with glittering eyes, a child's hand and the big marble. I hope my research can allay a lot of the fear. ”
