Social Exclusion of Muslim Youth in Flemish‐ and French‐Speaking Belgian Schools

Abstract

The question posed by Altay Manco points to the dilemma faced by many Muslims in Belgium, but the answers to this question are by no means simple. In what follows, I will examine how Belgian “concentration” schools, schools with heavy concentrations of non–European Union, typically Muslim, immigrants, challenge educators and policy makers. To situate this challenge properly, I will consider the broader Belgian social and political context, including regional governmental responses to the perceived “problem” of concentration schools, the role of parental involvement, and the expectations of teachers. These considerations will clarify the structural arrangements that exist prior to any assessment of Muslim children per se. There are, of course, manifold differences among Muslims within the various ethnic groups, but the literature available on the subject has focused overwhelmingly on its two largest ethnic groups—Turks and Moroccans. It is currently impossible to obtain statistical information on religious belief in Belgium. Therefore, inferences about religion are made from one’s ethnic background.