Islamic Schools See Surge in Enrollment
By Shabnam Mahmood
Mar/Apr 2024
Muslim parents often face the dilemma of whether they should send their children to Islamic or secular schools. For some, it’s a simple decision, while for others many factors come into play. Islamic schools have recently seen an upsurge in enrollment. Islamic Horizons set out to see if this could be due to the recent changes in the public education curriculum regarding LGBTQ+ issues.
Shaza Khan (executive director, Islamic Schools League of America [ISLA]) agrees there has been an increase in registrations for Islamic schools. ISLA is a board member of the Council for American Private Education (CAPE), which represents private schools nationwide. CAPE has noted a rise in all private schools’ enrollment across the spectrum, but has not necessarily linked it to state curriculum changes.
Wanis Shalaby (principal, Salam School) believes there has always been a gradual increase in enrollment in Islamic schools despite recent changes to the public education curriculum.
“All administrators of well-developed Islamic schools seem to have witnessed higher enrollments at their schools over the past few years,” Shalaby said. “I believe there are multiple reasons for the current spike, among which are the challenges Muslim children face in the public school system, such as Islamic identity, gender identity, bullying, harassment and Islamophobia. These reasons have urged parents to seek a haven for their children in Islamic schools.”
Talk with Your Kids
Many parents consider Islamic schools to be a safer alternative. That convinces parents that some option is better than none, even when Islamic schools may lack resources in sports or extracurriculars.
For example, the small Islamic school in Merium Abdullah’s area of Los Angeles is still trying to find its footing after the Covid-19 pandemic. Thanks to involved parents, the school has reopened and is growing slowly. Abdullah has two children in public schools and one in an Islamic school. She augments their education with Sunday School classes. Although she finds her Islamic school lacking in secular studies, administrative issues and other areas, she still recommends them over public schools. That said, she advocates instilling religious values early in children, especially those attending public schools.
“Parents should talk to their kids about lots of issues,” remarked Abdullah. “Kids should come to you before anyone else and be guided on how to navigate these discussions.”
Teaching her four children how to navigate the world is also a concern for Sabrina Chishti. “Raising kids in today’s society is already a challenging task. As a Muslim, there are added fears and responsibilities for parents to correctly guide our kids so they can navigate themselves in this constantly changing world,” she stated.
Initially, Chishti believed public schools offered better options due to their state-of-the-art facilities and licensed staff. Eventually, she noticed her children beginning to use foul language and talking back.
“The mental stress of navigating rights and wrongs in a non-Muslim school environment is tremendous for such young children. On top of all that, LGBTQ+ is now included in our district curriculum, and that’s a whole topic that we don’t want our kids exposed to in elementary school,” she noted. “After weighing the pros and cons of public school, we decided that Islamic school is the way to go … to preserve their innocence and give them a fair opportunity to make good decisions without societal pressures.”
Within a year, Chishti saw her children become more respectful, priding themselves on how many surahs they had learned and how fluent they had become in their Quranic recitations. Al Huda Academy in Hanover Park, Ill., has a mission of “Adaab (etiquette) before Academics. It took me some time to truly understand this philosophy,” said Chishti. “But now that I see its impact, I have embraced its value.”
Administrators Weigh In
How are Islamic schools preparing for this curricular change in direction from public schools? “Communication is critical. We must understand what kids are going through,” declared Habeeb Quadri (superintendent, MCC Academy). “We need to educate students to learn their rights and responsibilities on how to navigate social issues. We advocate by trying to provide resources for students, such as halal food options and prayer in public spaces, and help students advocate for themselves. We also reevaluate what’s happening in society and how to handle it respectfully.”
Khan noted that Islamic school capacities aren’t increasing in proportion to the demand for Islamic education. Also, many Islamic schools are adopting public school curricula that contain material that doesn’t necessarily align with Islamic beliefs and views. She is advocating for a holistic curriculum renewal.
“While Islamic schools may be facing a ‘good’ problem by having waiting lists, I would love for families to come to our Islamic schools because of what we’re doing well, not because of what they’re trying to get away from,” Khan stressed.
Has the current societal pressure due to the change in public curricula put Islamic schools on alert? Quadri believes that Islamic schools have constantly been evolving. “We have always tried to tackle these topics with our students, for example, evolution, the existence of God, women in Islam, substance abuse and current issues.”
Shalaby, whose Salam School has earned a 5-star school of excellence on the State of Wisconsin Report Card for the past three years, adds that schools trying to teach their students in a manner that uses dialog, critical thinking and fostering a culture of Islamic pride have developed a well-balanced, fully interactive Muslim-American generation.
Shalaby explains that while he may not be able to speak for other Islamic schools in terms of gender identity Salam School’s students aren’t being raised in a bubble. “This topic is completely avoided in lower elementary and is addressed in an age-appropriate manner in upper elementary through high school. To this effect, the topic is addressed on multiple fora,” he added.
For instance, his school has a strong character education program, part of which addresses current events/topics during the morning assembly. LGBTQ+ is one of the topics addressed. In addition, this topic is also frequently addressed during the Islamic studies classes. Furthermore, the senior class must complete a mandatory semester seminar on contemporary issues in Islam, where LGBTQ+ is discussed and analyzed to its fullest extent, so that our graduating students can stand their ground when they are confronted on college campuses with this and other topics.
“Parents should not wake up at the 11th hour,” Shalaby said. “It is too late by then. Your work with your children starts before they are born, so work on yourselves first. Further, unless your home environment complements the school’s culture, work toward achieving a shared vision with the school.”
He advised Muslim students to “Be proud of who you are. You do not need to blend in by compromising who you are. The strength of our nation is the result of its diversity. You have a lot to offer. It is your duty to your religion and nation to be the best Muslims you can become.”
Shabnam Mahmood is a Chicago-based author, freelance writer and educational consultant.
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