Word: citizenship
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Widow penalty n.--The practice of denying immigrants U.S. residency if their American spouses die during the citizenship-application process...
...Britain as supplementary, after-hours schools, often run by volunteers in mosques and community centers. They typically teach youngsters how to recite the Koran and ground them in Islamic fundamentals. But over the past few months, 30 madrassas across the U.K. have trialled a program called the Islam and Citizenship Education (ICE) Project. Funded by the government, the ICE Project aims to teach madrassa students aged 7 to 14 how to use Muslim values to be better citizens. (See pictures of London...
...British secondary school students attend citizenship classes, but this 20-week course is designed to complement those lessons, incorporating Koranic scripture as a key teaching tool. The classes cover topics including What is Democracy?; Law and Order; and British or Muslim, or British Muslim? Officials say the trial classes, which ended in April, were a success. "The feedback we received was very positive," says Khalid Mahmood, project manager. "Teachers have said [the materials] kept the children very engaged." From May 22, final versions of the lessons went online at theiceproject.com. While it's a voluntary program, "we expect there will...
Teacher Ali calls the lesson plans "very good, very well researched." Still, he's uneasy with the project's working assumption that young Muslims in particular need to be taught the importance of good citizenship. "Citizenship is inseparable from Islam," he says. "As a Muslim and a teacher, I can't separate these things...
...enjoy the ICE classes, it's clear that, as for other young urban British Muslims, their most immediate concerns are the threats of crime, drugs and racism. Radicalism, says Sumeyye, 12, shaking her head resolutely, "That is not Islam." For those tempted to disagree, the government hopes the new citizenship lessons will help change their minds...