Read MoreSeen from the UK, France’s non-religious approach to teaching often seems to translate into anti-Muslim feelings and actions
I am only a little older than Agnès Poirier, but my recollection of history teaching while I was growing up in France and my understanding of the concept of secularism are very different (“We French love our history teachers. Samuel Paty made us remember why”, Comment). I don’t remember being particularly inspired by any of my history teachers or their lessons encouraging me to think critically. Indeed, I can’t remember much being mentioned about difficult subjects such as the war with and subsequent independence of Algeria or the murky roles played by some French politicians (some still in power at the time) during the Second World War.
Yes, it is completely unacceptable for a teacher to be murdered for trying to teach his pupils tolerance and the use of a critical mind. However, seen from the UK, a nation that is more multicultural than France, laïcité too often seems to translate into anti-Muslim feelings and actions, rather than the state and education being independent from all religious influences. The French state would have a much stronger moral basis from which to condemn extremism if it targeted all religion equally, for example, if Virgin medals and cross necklaces were banned from the classroom because they are religious symbols just as much as headscarves.
Isabelle Candy
Exmouth, Devon
Continue reading…Seen from the UK, France’s non-religious approach to teaching often seems to translate into anti-Muslim feelings and actionsI am only a little older than Agnès Poirier, but my recollection of history teaching while I was growing up in France and my understanding of the concept of secularism are very different (“We French love our history teachers. Samuel Paty made us remember why”, Comment). I don’t remember being particularly inspired by any of my history teachers or their lessons encouraging me to think critically. Indeed, I can’t remember much being mentioned about difficult subjects such as the war with and subsequent independence of Algeria or the murky roles played by some French politicians (some still in power at the time) during the Second World War.Yes, it is completely unacceptable for a teacher to be murdered for trying to teach his pupils tolerance and the use of a critical mind. However, seen from the UK, a nation that is more multicultural than France, laïcité too often seems to translate into anti-Muslim feelings and actions, rather than the state and education being independent from all religious influences. The French state would have a much stronger moral basis from which to condemn extremism if it targeted all religion equally, for example, if Virgin medals and cross necklaces were banned from the classroom because they are religious symbols just as much as headscarves.Isabelle CandyExmouth, Devon Continue reading…