Religious Fundamentalism and Education in Europe Helen Everett Institute of Education London

Creationism is the belief that the world was created by God in six days as described in the Bible in Genesis Chapter 1. This has spawned the theory of Intelligent Design as an attempt to make the idea more scientific. Evolutionary theory is underpinned by the writings and ideas of Charles Darwin and relate to his ideas on the origin of species and natural selection (1859) but the theory contains later additions.

Islamic Evangelical Christian State School FaithIslamChristianitySecular Humanism[1][1] Nature of ChildEssentially goodEssentially sinfulEssentially good Goal of EducationTo become good Muslim, preparation for life to come God’s GloryAcquisition of skills, self realisation[2][2] KnowledgeComes from God Based on scientific reasoning ScriptureQur’an revealed by God, inerrant Bible revealed by God, inerrant Open to interpretation TeacherExemplar-Prophet Mohamed role model Discipler – Jesus role model Facilitator Evolution/Creationis m Creationism Evolution REIslamic- indoctrinating Christian- indoctrinating Non denominational, comparative Educational Responsibility Community and Parent ParentState Underlying valuesNo separation between secular and sacred Secular and sacred separate [1][1] As perceived by Evangelical Christian and Islamic communities [2][2] As above

Times Educational Supplement 21/7/06 ‘he [David Blunkett] said the Government at the time [1988] was “faced particularly in places like West Yorkshire, with youngsters going miles to quite unacceptable education which was anything but open and liberal”’ And also ‘”that he [David Blunkett] did not feel comfortable” with his original 1988 decision to award funding to new Muslim faith schools, and admitted that the policy was driven entirely by “pragmatism”’

Education Guardian 18/01/05 reporting David Bell "Faith should not be blind. I worry that many young people are being educated in faith-based schools, with little appreciation of their wider responsibilities and obligations to British society." Many Muslim schools "must adapt their curriculum to ensure that [they provide] pupils with a broad general knowledge of public institutions and services in England and help them to acquire an appreciation of and respect for other cultures in a way that promotes tolerance and harmony". "traditional Islamic education does not entirely fit pupils for their lives as Muslims in modern Britain".

Can a state education system accommodate world views which are irreconcilable with the one underpinning the education system? What are the consequences if it does? And what are the consequences if it does not?