Arguing that all cultures and beliefs are equally valid ignores the fact that ours is a predominately Western culture, committed to liberal democratic institutions and Judeo-Christian values.
Imagine the howls of outrage from the secular non-believers if the Catholic Church argued that every school subject had to include a Catholic perspective and that understanding Christianity is a vital part of our state education system.
Imagine the outcry if the Church, along with a respected national curriculum body and a prestigious university, published curriculum material and held teacher workshops celebrating Christianity’s contribution to Australian society and Western civilisation.
Given that Australia’s schools, on the whole, are secular in nature and the argument that classrooms should not be used to teach a particular faith, it’s understandable why introducing religion into school subjects, for many, would be unacceptable.
Not so, when it comes to teaching Islam and introducing Muslim perspectives to the curriculum. Those responsible for the booklet Learning From One Another: Bringing Muslim Perspectives into Australian Schools, sponsored by the Australian Curriculum Studies Association and The University of Melbourne’s Centre for Excellence in Islamic Studies are happy to assert that teaching Islam should be embedded in every school subject.
Continue reading Call for schools to teach a positive view of Islam while branding Australia racist
![Al Jazeera's correspondent at the scene said authorities had blocked access to the sites of the explosions [Al Jazeera/Tamer Almisshal]](http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/imagecache/mbdxxlarge/mritems/Images/2015/7/19/31892815d9d34cfd801ead0a0cd05958_18.jpg "Explosions hit cars of Hamas officials in Gaza City")
Protesters rally in Martin Place. Photo: James Bullen
MP George Christensen addresses a Reclaim Australia rally in Mackay, Queensland. Photo: ABC News
Bastille Day in Paris is always celebrated with great fireworks displays. Conversely, for many young Muslims in the vast immigrant population there, the idea of fireworks means setting other people’s cars on fire in the streets. Fortunately, not as many fires as every New Years Eve when there usually are more than 1,000 car burnings overnight.
In the 18th arrondissement, on the rue Marcadet, another car was torched while confrontations broke out on the rue Queneau and rue de la Chapelle. Even the 3rd arrondissement was not spared confrontations, and one policeman was wounded while chasing a group of “young people” ages 16 – 25 who were throwing stones at the security forces. 
