Schools in Spain to teach Islamic Studies to counter extremism

The government of Spain is aiming to counter extremism by teaching Islamic Studies in public schools nationwide, primarily by letting the students be exposed to a "moderate" interpretation of the religion.

According to the Gatestone Institute, this is in accordance to Article 27.3 of the 1978 Spanish Constitution that says, "The State guarantees parents the right for their children to obtain a religious and moral education which conforms to their own convictions." There were also other agreements reached between the government and the Muslim community in succeeding years.

Drafted by the Islamic Commission of Spain, the set of guidelines for teaching Islam to students in preschools, primary schools, and secondary schools were approved by the Ministry of Education and published on March 18 in the Boletin Oficial del Estado or the offical gazette of the state. Students may receive religious education upon request, and the Muslim community is allowed to select teachers and approve textbooks.

There are several documents outlining the curriculum for the different educational levels, and according to the one for Early Childhood Education --  roughly translated via Google Translate -- the teaching of Islam to little children aims to convey security, affection and joy. Block 3 of the curriculum, for instance, tackles positive emotions and acceptance and tolerance of diversity, while Block 5 is about co-existence with others and includes teaching about the damaging effects of violent emotions and its prevention, among other things.

The Gatestone Institute explains that the preschool curriculum will teach 3- to 6-year-olds the Shahada or the Islamic profession of faith. In Block 6, children will be taught the texts of oral tradition including Quranic stories and short Hadith. The teachings become less simplistic in primary and high school.

While the objective of the classes is to prevent kids from being drawn to terrorism, the Gatestone article cited Block 8 in the secondary school curriculum that discusses the Al-Andalus (the Moors), which were occupied by Muslim conquerors during the Medieval period. The Islamic State terror group has promised before that they will make it a part of their caliphate. Moreover, the curriculum encourages students to find out more about Islam via the Internet, an avenue being used to radicalize Muslim youth.

Soeren Kern, a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the writer of the article, deems that the guidelines are aimed to stir religious fervor among the youth and promote Islamic identity. Moreover, it reportedly aims to instill an Islamic worldview in Muslim students.

Breitbart, in its report, says that critics think that integration and Westernization are better options for fighting terrorism, things that the guidelines reportedly discourage.