Dutch people in favor of abolishing religious primary schools

A majority of Dutch people are in favor of abolishing religious primary schools, according to a poll by Maurice de Hond. 59 percent of respondents said that all schools based on a religion in the Netherlands should be closed.

Last week there was a commotion about Islamic education in the Netherlands after Nieuwsuur and NRC reported that Sharia law is being taught at mosque schools. In evening or weekend classes, over a thousand kids are taught that homosexual people and people of different beliefs deserve the death penalty, and that young Muslims must leave this "unbelieving country" and move to an Islamic country, according to the news agencies.

De Hond therefore asked Dutch voters what they thought of religious education in his weekly poll.

54 percent of Dutch voters believe that freedom of education, as written in the Constitution, is a very good thing in the Netherlands. But 90 percent agreed that if schools, of whatever background, that are negative about LGBTQ people and teach that men and women have different rights, must not be funded by the government. 14 percent of respondents said that it is no business of the government what is taught at Sunday- or mosque schools.

85 percent of respondents said that it is bad for integration in the Netherlands if children with a Muslim background are sent to an Islamic school. 70 percent said that no more Islamic schools should be established in the Netherlands. And 69 percent believe that schools based on other orthodox religions also teach pupils things that do not fit with the values of Dutch society.