Education is the key to acceptance

Just as 7 years ago, there was the most shocking event that happened on the Cronulla Beach known as the 2005 Cronulla Riots, the same racist event happened on the 17th September 2012. Cronulla Riots were populated largely by Australian young people, young men, acting out in violence against the Lebanese people in nationalistic pride. Majority of these men had been through, or are currently going through the Australian public education system. So does that mean that the education system could have done something differently earlier? Could this have been permitted if there were something altered in the teaching of ethnicity and racism in the education system?

The Australian Prime Minister and the NSW Premier argued that race and racism were not the underlying causes of the incidents (Barclay and West: 2006). 

Prime minister John Howard declared, “I do not accept that there is underlying racism in this country” In his national Australia day speech, four weeks after the riot. He called for a renewal of the teaching of Australia's history in schools. The NSW state premier, only days earlier had announced that students of government public schools would be taught more about Australia values as part of the revamp of the Australian education system. (Calma, T, 2006)

The Sunday Morning Herald writes states that the Saturday violence was not about the trashy film that denigrated the Muslim religion. It may well be, as both claim, about perceptions that are particular to the Muslim community. In accordance to Amin, "Not all urban spaces are ‘‘natural servants of multicultural engagement" (2002: 967), Christina Ho also suggests that people are territorialised by particular groups, steeped in surveillance or spaces of transit with very little contact between strangers. However, in today's society, cultural terrain is vastly different. There are a range of ethnic groups and religion. Just as other religions are permitted in Australia, such as, the Greek Orthodox, Jehovah's witnesses, Catholic, Hinduism, Buddhism, so should the Muslim community.Religious schools are government-funded. The traditions of dozens of different national and ethnic groups are celebrated in schools and communities. 

The challenge facing the Muslim community is to educate its youth about the advantages of a society that has struggled to change its attitudes and perceptions within a single lifetime.

To prevent future riots of this magnitude, a new approach must be taken for the future youth of this planet. This issue of racism needs addressing in the education system, schools have the power to influence children on such massive world issues, such as racism. Teachers should always be aware of the issue in the classroom, and should be willing to educate the children on the different cultures in the world. The need to educate and teach Australian youths as well as the older generations that it is not a matter of "tolerance" which we need to overcome but "acceptance" and respect, or maybe even love for each other, regardless of what religion, culture or whether or not one's parents were born on our shores. Australia is aiming to recreate their multicultural identity and is attempting to mend any unhealed wounds that were determined during this anarchic period of time. 

Ruth Wilson from Bowral said:

"If you wish to be respected, show that it is deserved. If you want to be heard, please speak in ways so we can listen. If you want to be included, you need to be respected and heard. If you need help with any of the above, a balanced education is the key.

There is no other good way."

Reference:

http://www.smh.com.au/national/letters/education-key-to-muslim-challenge-20120919-266v6.html

Ho, C. (2011). Respecting the presence of others: School micropublics and everyday multiculturalism. Journal of Intercultural Studies, 32(6), 603-619.