TORONTO DISTRICT

MUSLIM EDUCATION ASSEMBLY

(TDMEA)

Sound Education Sound Society

Telephone: (416) 245-0696 Fax: (416) 744-4360

Email us at: Assayyed@hotmail.com

Basic Document: Muslim Beliefs and Practices

Accommodation for Muslim Students, Staff

and Parents in the Public School System

A TDMEA Submission to the TDSB's

Islamic Accommodation Within

the Public School System

Contents

Title Page ..................................................................................................... 1

Preamble ......................................................................................................3

Introduction .................................................................................................4

Goal/Objectives ............................................................................................5

Daily Prayers & the Friday Prayer ...........................................................5

Fasting ..........................................................................................................5

Dietary Restrictions ....................................................................................6

Religious Celebrations ................................................................................6

Visual Arts ...................................................................................................7

Music ............................................................................................................7

Dancing ........................................................................................................8

Dress Code ...................................................................................................8

Health Education .......................................................................................8

Physical Education ....................................................................................9

Sex Education ............................................................................................10

Swimming ...................................................................................................11

Trips & Camping Out ................................................................................11

Social Events/Activities ..............................................................................12

Curriculum ..................................................................................................12

Roles/Referrals of Advisors & Guidance Counsellors (new section!)......13

Equity in Employment & Promotion .........................................................14

Parents-Staff/Teachers Relations ...............................................................14

Staff Development and Training .................................................................15

Where Do We Go From Here .....................................................................15

Preamble

Islam is not only a religion based on professed doctrinal beliefs and ritual practices, but a complete universal system and comprehensive way of life spanning every facet of political, economic and social activities for all humanity, without distinction. Thus, the concern of Islam is not only for Muslims nor is the concern of Muslims only for themselves. The entire human and non-human creation and every human activity or situation, be it personal, family, community, national or international are encompassed by Islam. This is captured in the following translation of some verses of the Qur'an:

Muslims accept and believe in all the Prophets of God, from Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus to the last Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon them all). They all taught the same universal message of Islam to different peoples at different times. This universal fraternity and responsibility has been further expounded while specifying that the superiority of one person, group, community or nation over another is not based on criteria that contravene piety and righteousness.

Thus, Muslims have a special duty towards themselves and a great responsibility regarding their fellow human beings in every part of the globe:

Introduction

The Muslim community of Canada has grown significantly since the last census of 1981. The rapid growth of Muslims in Canada is clearly manifested by their concentration in all the major cities across the country. Of these, the City of Toronto alone boasts the single largest concentration of overall Muslim population in Canada, at a ratio of about one-third. This reality makes Muslims of the Greater Toronto Area one of the most prominent visible communities emerging in the Toronto region.

The result of this continuing rapid growth and expansion of Muslims in Toronto is that all major institutions, especially the public school system, realize that adequate provisions are necessary to cater to the needs and interests of this part of their constituency. Some core values and beliefs of the Muslim community have come under direct attack and remain contradicted by the system that claims to serve them. Thus, because of the gravity of these issues between Muslim families and the public education system in the City, the following is a presentation of the core issues and what practising Muslim students, staff and parents alike require.

• Daily Prayers & the Friday Prayer
• Fasting
• Dietary Restrictions
• Religious Celebrations
• Visual Arts
• Music
• Dancing
• Dress Code
• Health Education
• Physical Education
• Sex Education
• Swimming
• Trips & Camping Out
• Social Events/Activities
• Curriculum
• Roles/Referals of Advisors & Guidance Counselors
NEW SECTION!!!
• Equity in Employment
• Parents-Staff/Teachers Relations
• Staff Development and Training

Goal/Objectives

The core objective of this submission is to assist the Toronto District School Board to deliver a consistently high quality of education whereby academic excellence and moral correctness constitute values and ideals for a truly civilised and sound society. As a mechanism, through meaningful partnership the TDSB and the various communities can work together to build a just, balanced, healthy and safe society for all.

Daily Prayers & the Friday Prayer

The Shari^ah (Islamic Law) prescribes that Muslims pray regularly five times daily, in addition to the observance of other specified prayers, at fixed times. These times change during the winter and spring. Children are instructed to begin praying at an early age, approximately 7 and are obligated to pray when they become Islamically pubescent. The obligatory prayers are: Fajr (The Dawn Prayer); Dhuhr (The Noon Prayer); ^Asr (The Mid-Afternoon Prayer); Maghrib (The Sunset Prayer); ^Isha’ (The Nightfall Prayer). The Jumu^ah or Friday Prayer replaces the Dhuhr prayer for those who perform that prayer. In order to fulfill this duty, accommodations at the school sites require:

• Allocation of time for each prayer (5-10 minutes), with exception of Friday Prayer.
• Place for performing ablution (wudu’) which involves light washing: a full washroom facility is required.
• Place for holding the prayer, e.g. any clean unobstructed room.

NB: For school purposes, only two prayers are mainly relevant: Salat ul-Dhuhr (Noon Prayer, and Salat ul-Asr (Afternoon Prayer). The Jumu^ah Prayer or Friday Congregation occurs at the same time of the Noon Prayer which it replaces and is best held in a Mosque or larger congregational setting. Its usual time duration is about an hour, but for school purposes half an hour is sufficient if done on school premises. A note is required from the parents if the students require to leave the property.

Fasting

Muslims are obligated to fast the holy month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar based on lunar observations. Like praying, from a young age Muslim children are encouraged to fast the month of Ramadan, instructed to do so as they become older and obligated to fast when they have attained puberty. In Islam, a major condition of fasting is the abstinence of food and drink from dawn to sunset. Those exempted from fasting must have a valid religious reason: a sick person, a traveler based on a certain distance, a pregnant woman, who is harmed by fasting, and a female who experiences her menstrual cycle at the time. Those who qualify must make up the required number of days at another time. School accommodations are as follows:

• Students should not participate in activities (e.g. home economics if eating or drinking is required, etc.) which may render their fast null and void.
• Students may require a quiet place during lunch time other than the cafeteria.
• Students should not be subject to activities which may make their fast difficult to keep, e.g. track and field, etc.
• Students must be permitted to properly end their fast at the proper time - immediately after sunset - if they are still in school.

Dietary Restrictions

There are two aspects to Muslim dietary law based on the principles of Halal (Islamically lawful) and Haram (Islamically unlawful). One is the prohibition of unlawful food, and the prohibition of unlawful drink. Muslims are not allowed to eat pork or pork products in any way, shape, or form. Meat and poultry from permissible animals, to eat for food, must be slaughtered according to religious law classified as Halal; only seafood is not slaughtered.

It is against Islamic Law to consume alcohol. This includes alcohol in any form be it liquid or solid such as in food preparation. Also, all forms of drugs such as crack cocaine, hashish, ecstasy, weed, etc. in any form be it liquid, solid or gas are forbidden to consume. Accommodation requires:

• Planned menus for food and drink by the school's catering services for regular school days and special events or activities must consider the Muslim students.

• Snacks from snack programs and food days must consider the Muslim students,

• i.e., Pizza day, Hot dog day, Hot meals, etc.

Religious Celebrations

There are two major religious festivals according to Islamic Law. The first is the ^Eid-ul-Fitr (celebration marking the end of the Ramadan Fast). It occurs on the first day of the 10^th month of the lunar calendar - Shawwal.

The precise dates of these celebrations depend upon the lunar calendar. School accommodation should entail:

• Include the possible dates of both Festivals in the school calendar ( seek TDMEA input)
• Students should be permitted to take these days of religious festivities off without inconvenience, loss, or penalty to their academic status.
• The second Islamic holiday may entail a longer absence from school, for those pubescent students who wish to fulfill their Pilgrimage obligation. The students should inform the school in writing ahead of time so arrangements could be made for missed school work.
• Avoid scheduling examinations, field trips, etc. on these days.
• School should acknowledge the two main Islamic holidays just like Christmas, Easter, and other celebrations are acknowledged. Thus, the opportunity should be taken to educate other individuals about the Islamic cultures and festivities.
• Time and resources should be equally provided just like any other cultural celebrations, resulting in equal treatment and recognition. Thus, the Muslim students feel proud of their identities.

Visual Arts

In Islam, Visual Arts prohibits the depiction, portrayal or otherwise the presentation of human and animal pictures and figures in an unseemly or demeaning manner. Moreover, sculpturing a human or animal or depicting them is forbidden. The drawing or photograph of an animal or human is prohibited if it is such that if it were real it would survive. The portrayal of human beings in any way deemed to be immodest, dehumanizing, erotic or sensual is also proscribed in Islam. School accommodation should emphasize:

• Scenery.
• Objects.
• Shapes.
• Letters.
• Colours.
• Plants.
• Upper part of an animal or human.

Music

Islam prohibits the use of the forbidden musical instruments; all musical instruments that have strings, are wind-blown, or cause enchantment when played alone. Some of the permissible instruments are drums, tambourine, cymbals, and the xylophone.

The Islamic Law disallows the portrayal of songs with lyrics contrary to moral correctness, common sense, and decency.

Islamic Law forbids the public display of singers that behave in a vulgar manner during the act of singing. Thus, any music or song leading to moral corruption and promiscuity (drugs, alcohol, fornication, adultery, etc.) are contrary to Islamic values. School accommodation should entail:

• The avoidance of songs with immoral or vulgar lyrics or connotations.
• Provide alternatives to students with parents’ consent in writing.

Dancing

Dancing as an art or discipline is not allowed. Like some forms of music and singing, dancing is considered immodest. Because of close intimate physical contact between male and female, it induces sensual desires and fantasies leading to moral corruption and evils in society. School accommodation should entail:

• School dances for occasions such as Gr. 9 Welcome Dance, Christmas, Halloween, or Valentine’s Day should not be held during school hours. Parents must be made aware of such events by the School . Parents need to sign a consent form for each child not to attend such events when held.

Dress Code

Islam prohibits the undue exposure of the human body (^awrah) to public view, especially of mixed gender composition. Both men and women are required to observe proper dress codes at all times. For males, according to most scholars, the minimum is from the navel to the knees; and for females virtually the entire body except the face, hands and according to some scholars, the feet. Only in an all-female setting the Islamic Law does permit a more relaxed dress code for women. School accommodation involves:

• The avoidance of activities requiring dress, uniform or costume which exposes parts of the body that cannot be exposed, i.e. during Drama Class, Gym, Swimming, etc.
• For females, the Islamic head dress (hijab) must be allowed.
• Elementary school Muslim students, especially in make-believe activities, are not allowed to be taught, encouraged or the like, to cross-gender dress, i.e. boys wearing girls' accessories, dresses and shoes, or play the role of any Islamically objectionable personality and the like .

 

Health Education

Health education, for both boys and girls, Islamically is the parents’ responsibility and should be taught only at home in accordance to Islamic rulings. Many of the teaching of schools today promote and give health materials to the students which contradict the cores of Islam, i.e. having sexual intercourse during a woman’s period of the month is acceptable, which Islamically is not. Another example is concerning masturbation; it is taught to be acceptable and normal behaviour, but Islamically it is prohibited. In schools, abortions are also taught to be a freedom of choice, but Islamically it is prohibited except under certain circumstances, and it still has many conditions. The school promotes sexual relationships before marriage, which is Islamically prohibited. Also, sexual materials such as condoms are readily available and staff encourages the students to make use of them. This is immoral and unacceptable.

In middle school the students are encouraged to arouse their sexual feelings to their partners and are taught ways and techniques of how to conduct various sexual activities. Some teachers have gone as far as describing in detail their personal sexual activities in various parts of the home with their partners, including how enjoyable the experience is. Also, graphic videotapes and graphic text materials are shown and given to the students without any sensitivity, from a grade 5 level. Again, this is immoral and Muslim parents strongly object to this kind of material and attitude.

Furthermore, materials containing several addresses, locations, telephone numbers, etc. are given to the students to obtain free materials such as needles, condoms, and even places to have clinical abortions. This is against the family values and promotes corruption to society.

Recommendations: Either the school should leave subjects such as these above, to the parents OR the school must provide information for the parents to teach it to the students, just as this has been done in Catholic Schools. Thus, the parents will make use of their discretion on these issues. Another solution would be that a qualified member of the Muslim community to come into the classroom and be a guest speaker for the issues at hand with an Islamic point of view.

Islam has its own set of personal and health requirements. Personal hygiene and health education is taught at a very early age to Muslim children as these constitute essential parts of Faith. School accommodation should entail:

• The graphic illustration of the human genitals is not displayed for such purposes. The proper names of the parts of the body and clear verbal explanation suffice.
• Students must wash after every toilet function as wiping alone is acceptable in certain circumstances if it is done according to Islamic rulings; yet, water is what is recommended greatly. This requires access to water while in the private toilet compartments, not simply a public sink area.

• Male urinals should be private so as eliminate the possibility of seeing another person's sexual organs or genitals.

• Separate washroom facilities for the sexes not closely positioned.

 

NB: When health teachers check for lice, a private room should be used instead of the classroom, so the Muslim girls don’t expose their hair to the public.

Physical Education

Like health education, physical education constitutes an integral part of education proper within clearly defined limits. Somewhat to health education, physical education is gender oriented. School accommodation entails:

• Islamic dress code must be observed for both male and female students.
• Deliberate physical contacts and touching in any situation are prohibited between the opposite sexes.
• Alternatives should be provided for Muslim students when it is required.
• School should provide some gender oriented physical activities.
• Co-ed Activities should be avoided.
• Change room facilities must have individual stalls with curtains for privacy, so that Muslim girls have the privacy. Naked public changing is disallowed.
• Shower facilities should be separate and private for individual students. Naked public bathing is disallowed for both males and females, separately.

Sex Education

The Islamic Law sanctions only the promotion and maintenance of lawful heterosexual behaviour and lifestyles only within the institution of marriage. School accommodation should entail:

• Sex education is the parents' responsibility according to Islamic beliefs.
• Sex education should be based on religious principles and sound health practices. This includes no sex before marriage (fornication), no sex outside of marriage (adultery), no to prostitution, no to public and free sex, no to homosexual (lesbian and gay) behaviour, and no to any perversion in sexual practices.
• Sex education should be taught only at an advanced stage, i.e., High School. The early introduction of sex education to young, curious, immature, impressionable and innocent children could lead to exploitation and corruption.
• Only qualified and credible teachers with integrity should be enlisted to teach sex education.
• There should be no vending machines or programs by the school to access the use of condoms for promoting illicit sexual activities freely among students. Safe sex occurs in lawful marriage relations only, not with adventure or experimentation among the unmarried.
• Teaching of abortion as a method of family planning is considered wrong in Islam. The Islamic Law allows abortion only in compelling circumstances, such as when it is beyond doubt that the mother’s life is placed in danger or her health would be permanently and severely impaired.
• Sexual Orientation Education is against and offensive to Muslim values, beliefs and practices.
• The parents should be notified in writing of what is being taught (in a clear manner) regarding the sex education and sexual orientation teachings, prior for the students’ participation.

Swimming

Swimming as an activity is closely regulated by the Islamic Law. In Islam, the indiscriminate exposure of the human body to public view is forbidden especially in a mixed gender setting. For the school, swimming as an educational activity should entail the following accommodations and consider:

• The Islamic Dress Code for both male and females.
• Gender roles according to Islam.
• Social interaction and social acceptability according to gender.
• Swimming should be taught and practised in separate gender classes only and not in an open environment to public view.
• Students must observe acceptable dress codes for this activity. Men in shorts not bikini underwear, and women in a full-body swim suit, not bikinis with simply tops and bottoms only nor regular bathing suits.
• Only qualified and credible, swimming instructors/teachers with integrity should participate. Moreover, they should be gender oriented as well - male for male students and female for female students. This includes life guards as well.
• Parents have to be notified and sign a consent form of the nature of the activity.

Trips & Camping Out

Islamic Law regulates the absence of children away from home for legitimate reasons. Being the more vulnerable, the rules are stronger for females than males. This applies to all trips - day, overnight or camping. School accommodation should entail:

• Islamically, females are not allowed to travel, after a certain distance, alone. They require a mahram, i.e. brother who has attained that age of puberty, uncle, father, or anyone the girl is never allowed to marry.
• The avoidance of free and indiscriminate mingling of the sexes.
• Children away from home must be adequately supervised.
• Sleeping and accommodation arrangements must ensure the moral and physical safety of children.
• Meals, snacks and drinks must conform to the Islamic Law regarding halal (lawful) and haram (unlawful).
• The activities involving the trip or camping must be deemed safe and legitimate educational items.
• All trips and camping activities must take into consideration aspects such as prayer, fasting month, religious festivals, etc.
• Parents must be notified in detail the events which shall take place
• Parents must sign a consent form for the nature of the activities and participation.

Social Events/Activities

Social events and activities constitute an area of great and grievous concern to Muslim families in Toronto. As already understood from the general principles of Islamic Law, the free and indiscriminate mixing and intermingling of the sexes are prohibited. There is a range of concerns for Muslim families on the issue of social events in a non-Muslim setting. These are justified by the fact that a single social event alone can entail a long list of questionable practices for Muslims. The Islamic Law forbids acts of indecency and moral corruption and any avenue or door leading to wrongful behaviour. School accommodation may entail:

• The timing of the event may be of concern especially if the event is held at night.
• The nature of the event itself may be contradictory to Islamic values, such as a dance, the prom, etc. A man must not be with a marriageable woman when a third person whom one would be shy in front of, either male or female, is not present. A marriageable woman is any woman other than a man's wife and those who are prohibited forever for him to marry, such as his mother, sister, daughter, or mother-in-law.
• Shaking hands freely between members of the opposite sex is also prohibited in Islam without a glove or some other barrier. Shaking hands unhindered is permitted only by members of the same sex.
• In some social events, there is a list of Islamically unacceptable activities involved. Examples include the consumption of alcohol, drug taking and trafficking, the availability of pork or pork products and non-halal food and beverage, dancing, dating (illicit relations between members of the opposite sex), the kind of dress codes promoted there, and the kind of language used in those settings.

Curriculum

The curriculum is a core instrument through which education is taught and delivered to our children with direct consequences for their future and that of society. The curriculum must therefore be based on the principles of sound education. School accommodation should entail:

• Eliminate and provide alternatives materials (text books, literature, etc.) which directly or indirectly distort reality, misrepresent the truth, are offensive in content, (i.e. the teaching of evolution), blaspheme, mock Islam, God, Prophets, Angels, or the like, are bias against -Islam and pervert Islamic values. Examples include but are not limited to Othello, and The Stone Angel, , as well as a large body of materials on mythology, history, civilization (especially Islamic, Biblical and Middle Eastern), and literature, including Shakespeare.
• Physical and health education curriculum including ‘sex education’ and ‘sexual orientation’ contains a great deal of offensive material that contradicts with the core values, morals and beliefs of Islam (i.e. workshops, plays, performances, books, etc.)
• Muslim professionals and parents should be consulted when designing and selecting materials for certain courses such as philosophy, literature, history, poetry, religion, etc.
• Some extra-curricular activities (i.e. Christmas carols, Halloween parade, Easter, stories, assembly or crafts, related to these topics etc.) are offensive and contain materials against our beliefs which Muslim kids are prohibited to participate in.
• Parents must be notified in writing (i.e. a letter) regarding any of these events and their contents.
• Items of the curriculum should also be geared to teach students family values, honesty, responsible behaviour and proper conduct becoming of a truly civilised society.
• No member of the teaching staff should be allowed to enforce/impose his/her particular view point on Muslim students against their will or contrary to their value system.

Roles/Referrals of Advisors & Guidance Counselors NEW SECTION!!!

• Muslim students facing personal or other problems should first be appropriately referred first to their parents whose right it is to be informed and made aware for what is happening to their children because they are the ones who are responsible for them. Moreover, the Muslim community has competent professionals and agencies available to assist in such areas and are int eh best position to understand the Islamic culure and way of life. Communications between the schools and parents is crucial in this area and parents must be properly informed about their children's affairs prior to any advice or referrals regarding matters of sensitive and serious consequences for their faith, moral values and culture.

• As a matter of right and public trust, the schools are obligated to promptly inform parents about their children's well being on all issues, academic as well as non-academic before taking any other unilateral steps. Parental involvement would ensure that they make the right choices/decisions they see fit in the best interests of their children and family.

• The school should not hide anything regarding the children or facilitate/encourage then to hide things form their family. This is dishonesty and contrary to sound ethical principles and lacjs integrity. Such a practice promotes, aids and abets children to disrespect and rebel against parental guidance. The result is the break up of family ties and relationship and a burgeoning of many social ills.

 

Equity on Employment & Promotion

Despite movement on the part of the public education system to undertake some adjustments accommodating Muslim concerns and interests, the magnitude and intensity of these concerns have not yet been fully addressed. Foremost among these concerns is the question of equity of employment and promotion of qualified Muslims in the system. At all levels, starting from the top executive, administrative and policy levels to teaching positions, Muslims are not adequately reflected in the system. This gross under-representation of Muslims in the public education system at levels has to be rectified without further delay. For the TDSB, the following considerations are relevant:

• The Board should use diversity media sources when advertising vacancies.
• Make transparent consistent policies and procedures for the recruitment and promotion of all staff members.
• Make a serious effort to employ qualified Muslim professionals at all levels in the system.
• Review employment policies and practices to ensure that they adhere to the principles of equity and ethnocultural representation.
• Eliminate barriers to employment and promotion.
• The interview and screening panel should include Muslim representatives and other minorities, so that there is a better understanding, while a better judgement will be made.
• Muslim counselors should be in place to provide authentic advice while guiding the Muslim students in the right direction academically, culturally, and otherwise.
• Settlement workers should be in place to liaison between the school board and the community. Thus, build the bridge between the Muslim community and Canadian culture.
• Muslim teachers in the public school system must not be forced to teach materials and/or participate in any activity against their beliefs.

Parents-Staff/Teachers Relations

Education in the public school system is a joint responsibility and partnership between the school and parents. Based on past and current experiences, school accommodation should entail:

• "Parents have the prior rights to decide what their kids are learning in the school and that should not be undermined." UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS
• Teachers/staff should not ignore, ridicule or harass Muslim parents if there is a difference of opinion.
• The views of parents should be listened to with respect and understanding.
• Staff must demonstrate professional conduct, integrity and courtesy when dealing with parents.
• Addressing the concerns of parents should not be ignored or delayed indefinitely.

Staff Development and Training

Although, good hiring practices starts with the objective assumption that the best qualified is hired, from time to time staff members may be required to undergo further training in order to perform with excellence and produce quality results. Accommodation entails:

• Qualified Muslim professionals should provide workshops and materials for TDSB staff and administratives.
• Provide training in ethnocultural equity for personnel who recruit, interview, select, and promote employees as far as Muslims are concerned.
• Modify the procedures, practices, policies regarding interview, criteria, religious, and cultural sensitivity as far as Muslims are concerned.
• Provides programs, staff, and administrative personnel to reflect the morals and values of the Muslim community the Board serves.
• Introduce a barrier free environment conducive to a sound public education.
• Train and prepare staff and teachers to consistently demonstrate professional conduct and integrity and be sensitive to the concerns of Muslim students and parents and treat them with due respect and understanding.

Where Do We Go From Here

This revised draft is based on the ideas the TDMEA received from respondents of the various Muslim Organizations and Institutions in the GTA who chose to comment on the draft and send it back for consideration.

The TDMEA hopes that the Board incorporates the concerns of Muslims into its policy which will be consistently reflected in subsequent programs or implementation stages in a transparent way under equity. The Assembly further envisages a system-wide application of such policies and programs.

The TDMEA is committed to continuous scrutiny of and participation in the process of formulating and implementing a sound public education policy for the good of all.