Introduction
Social Inclusion and Exclusion in Education
Social exclusion can be quite a distinct concept that has faced challenges due to there being a lack of broadly accepted definitions of what constitutes social exclusion, however, there have been three main ideas recurring in various definitions of social exclusion. According to Anthony Atkinson these ideas are that social exclusion is relative to the norms of a particular point in time, that social exclusion is caused by an act of some individual, group, or institution which an individual may exclude themselves as a result or they may be excluded by the decisions and actions of other people, organisations and institutions, this is known as agency. The final common theme of social exclusion is that social exclusion is not solely a result of current circumstances and can affect the individual beyond their schooling career resulting in their opportunities being limited. Exclusion on a larger scale when whole minority groups are targeted can manifest on a community level, such as a school.
From social exclusion comes social inclusion, seen to be an inseparable side of the same coin, it can be seen both as a concept and as a policy enforced in schools and the workplace. As with social exclusion, social inclusion has been hard to comprehensively define, however, most agree that a socially inclusive environment is one where all feel valued with their differences respected and basic needs met, where all people are recognised and accepted and have a communal sense of belonging in their schools and the wider community. According to Arjah de Haan, values that encompass the policies of social inclusion are that everyone can learn, everyone can contribute, everyone is ready and does not have to ‘pass a test’ or meet a set of criteria before they can be included, and that together we are better.
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The ways Social Inclusion and Exclusion Impact on Schooling for Students with Religious Social Groups
Social inclusion and exclusion can impact on students from religious social groups in various ways, in this discussion we will primarily be focusing on the Muslim youth experience. Muslim youth face several challenges when integrating into primarily western schools where there can be strong perceptions of the ‘stereotypical Muslim’, as well as language barriers and vast differences in social group values. The experience in schooling tends to be more socially exclusive for children who have a Muslim background than those who have Christian religious backgrounds, considering that scripture is taught in most schools across Australia those who are from that social group feel more included into their school community as their beliefs are being represented. This is contrasted by young Muslim women who can often feel ostracised and alienated from their peers due to wearing religious garments which can make them stand out, in turn, making social inclusion harder for those of Muslim backgrounds.
In 2015 the ABC, through the Western Sydney and Charles Sturt universities as well as the Islamic Sciences and Research Academy, surveyed roughly 600 Muslims living in the Sydney region about their experience as a Muslim in a multicultural society. They found that two-thirds indicated that they frequently mixed with non-Muslim people in their social lives and a 90% majority indicated it was imperative for their children to become fully accepted as Australians, they attempt to do this by actively enrolling their children into extracurricular-programs where they would be able to experience western culture and how to socialise with other students from different social groups (Kearney and Taha, 2015). This kind of inclusion through extracurricular activities and frequently socialising with non-Muslims would greatly impact the student in their schooling as when the individual feels secure and not discriminated against they begin to feel a sense of belonging in their communities and schools, in turn leading to both increased success at school and higher rates of higher education. This challenges the view that Muslims self-segregate themselves and tend to stay in their familiar communities, this viewpoint is demonstrated through remarks by politicians such as the 2006 UK Prime Minister Tony Blair when he categorically singled out Muslims as the group most in need of integration into western British values.
Language barriers, differences in social groups, and racism also impact students with Muslim backgrounds. In a school setting, students will be immersed in the English language, the texts they read and instruction that is given to them by the teacher will all be in English. Students who are not necessarily fluent in English, possibly from immigration or from another language being frequently spoken in the home, are impacted negatively when options for students language other than English are not given. Considering that language can be vital bearers of culture, the Australian education system needs to foster its community languages and knowledge of relevant cultures, this can enrich social and economic relations with communities.
Differences in social groups and racist tendencies can affect how a Muslim student could be perceived by their peers, impacting their schooling. For example young Muslim women, some as young as 12 or 13 in some instances can be expected to take on tasks such as cooking, taking on a motherly role to their younger siblings, holding down part-time jobs in order to support the family and this is often in addition to attending school. These young children are positioned in their social groups in unique ways that can impose stereotypes, definitions, and limitations onto their community which many in the west find it difficult to reconcile. The broader political discourse that these youth and their communities are ‘illegals’ does not help to promote harmonious relationships between the Anglo-Australian and the Muslim communities where incidences of violence and conflicts are already high. A quote from John Esposito accurately express how racism can lead to social exclusion, impacting Muslim youth in their schooling, 'One of the things that do wind up alienating some youth is the extent to which anti-Muslim and anti-Islamic diatribe, hate crimes, attacks on mosques make people feel alienated and marginalised from their societies'.
With these points in mind it is clear that perception of Muslim youth, racism and differences in societies can lead to the social exclusion of religious social groups, while parents of Muslim children have made pre-emptive attempts to ensure that their children are well socialised with children of predominately western culture educational equity inclusion needs to be incorporated into schools to make sure children from religious social groups are not being negatively impacted in their schooling.
Educational Equity Inclusion
Educational equity is about ensuring that there is a focus on fairness, that the education of all learners is of equal importance, furthermore, it is about collecting and evaluating evidence on children’s inhibitors to education access, participation and achievement. Educational equity inclusion means specific attention is paid to learners who may be most at risk of underachievement due to marginalisation and exclusion, the main message being that every learner matters equally and deserves to be given the appropriate tools in order to succeed throughout their schooling career.
Complexity in educational equity inclusion arises when this concept is attempted to be put into practice, requiring changes in thinking and practice at almost every level of an education system. In an attempt to implement educational equity in schools in 1994 eighty-eight national governments formed United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisations (UNESCO) and created the ‘Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education’ which proclaims five principles. These principles are that every child has a fundamental right to education and must be given the opportunity to achieve and maintain an acceptable level of learning, that all children are unique and have different characteristics, abilities and learning needs that must be taken into consideration, educational systems should be designed to take into account the diversity of students, those with special educational needs must have access to schools which accommodate them within a child-centred pedagogy capable of meeting these needs, and finally, schools with this inclusive orientation are the most effective means of combating discriminatory attitudes, creating welcoming communities, building an inclusive society, and achieving education for all.
Strategies for Teachers to Support the Educational Needs of Students from Religious Social Groups
Having welcoming and inclusive schools is not the only crucial aspect in ensuring that children from different social group backgrounds have the ability to integrate cohesively with a more western society, for this to happen seamlessly throughout the child's schooling career different strategies need to be put in place from the perspective of pedagogy, curriculum and policy
Pedagogy refers to the ways in which we teach and can be one of the most vital elements of a child's learning, considering that the educator is the conveyer of most of the child's most important information educators must be culturally sensitive in order to teach a range of diverse students. This need for cultural sensitivity has been shown through the Teaching Council’s rising evaluative role in initial teacher education for social justice, equality and inclusion as these are all increasingly becoming officially regarded as qualities that should professionally be possessed for educators. However
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