Muslim Educators in American Communities

Political rhetoric and popular concern about the presence in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe of immigrants from predominantly-Muslim societies has remained largely detached from the actual reality of the lives and the contributions of these immigrants and their children. The studies presented here seek to correct this ignorant reaction by presenting objective information from schools that such immigrants have created and sustained. The first looked at seven explicitly-Islamic secondary schools, focusing on the formation of character and American citizenship, while the other studied public charter schools established by immigrants from Turkey, focusing on academic outcomes. Do faith-based schools cause social divisions? Do their students fail to become good citizens who can cooperate with those of other faiths? This familiar accusation against Catholic, and more recently against Evangelical, schools, is now directed against Islamic schools in Western societies. The studies presented here offer objective information from schools established by Muslim immigrants across the United States, with reassuring results. Praise for Muslim Educators in American Communities: "Dr. Charles Glenn takes us inside US Islamic schools and offers a rare insight into the thoughts and emotions of young American Muslims. A must read for Non-Muslims as well as Muslims; his book provides a taste for those curious about what goes on in Islamic schools as well as evidence of the results of an Islamic School education." ~ Sufia Azmat, Executive Director Council of Islamic Schools in North America "Every wave of immigration throughout American history has brought with it an undertow of fear, often centered on the religious schools new immigrants form. In every instance, those fears have proven unfounded and so they are today. Through careful, on-the-ground research, Charles Glenn and colleagues take us into new Islamic secondary schools and discover the important role these faith-based schools are playing in forming virtuous citizens capable and committed to being a positive influence within American civic life. This book is a valuable and timely contribution." ~ James Davison Hunter, Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture University of Virginia