Riots, race & religion: The role of RE in responding to the riots

I was a teacher of religious education (RE) for almost 20 years in schools in Luton, Leighton Buzzard, and Milton Keynes.

I entered the teaching profession after 9/11 because I believed in the power of education in countering hate and building bridges.

As a British Muslim female educator who used to wear a hijab, I know first-hand the role that RE plays in combatting intolerance, promoting equality, and tackling misinformation.

Religious education is a powerful tool that can develop an understanding of equality through a religions and worldviews curriculum, including the study of the philosophy of religion and religious ethics.

It provides the building blocks of the knowledge and skills young people need to counter the violence and hate that contributes to the spread of extremist views, including anti-immigration, Islamophobia, anti-semitism, homophobia, and misogyny.