What's Muslim school like?
I'm sorry if my talk of 'ethnic groups' comes off as a bit racist— those terms are what I grew up with, and I deeply apologize for any misunderstandings arising from the use of such terminology. Also, all non-English terms have been translated to English to protect my identity.
You see, the educational system here (at least in government schools) isn't as Islamic as you'd think; there are 3 major ethnic groups, and only one of them is generally Muslim (rare exceptions here and there, but I'd say at least 99% of them would call themselves Muslim). Sure, this ethnic group has huge amounts of political power, but it's still a democracy, and those other groups still get representation. As such, while there is a subject dedicated to Islam (Islamic Education) and History is strongly biased towards Islam, non-Muslims are not forced into becoming or acting like Muslims— it's not in the culture, the Quran expressly forbids doing so.
I'm in the equivalent of high school right now, and it's been pretty meh. There are lectures from time to time about Islamic stuff, like how to maintain the boundaries between (non-related) people of opposing gender (in summary: no physical contact, social contact should be limited) and Ramadan (fast from dusk to dawn for the next 30 days). The teachers, they do remind the Muslim students to pray and whatever, but I wouldn't call it heavy-handed. The students already know the religious doctrine and all, so it's more about making sure they don't get distracted to the point that they don't pray*.
*Prayer is really important in Islam, if a Muslim doesn't pray 5 times at specific hours of the day, they're in danger of being thrown into Hell.
Is it like the tales of Indian schools where they just beat the children into being educated?
The government here is very strict on corporal punishment. Their stance on the issue goes:
NO. A teacher that is accused of beating children would have their teaching license revoked
immediately. The whole case would make national news here.
As for me, personally? I've never witnessed corporal punishment— not in a government school, at least. Sarcastic threats, yes. My previous school, though? My memories of that place are why I'm not telling about
that instead. I'm still bitter about it, and it might be years before I'm able to speak on it without bursting into a 700-word rant about my problems.
Are there stories from the Quran that get their own Veggietales-style adaptation?
I know there exist these 2D cartoons adapting stories from the Quran, but I've never seen those things on TV, oddly enough. Not that I'd care enough to watch TV— there's nothing worth watching nowadays— but I digress. 3D animated stuff, though? I think my country was either too poor or too cheap to make those (these things tend to be most effective during childhood, so past tense it is). If you ask me, it's the former. All the good stories, the ones I can remember from my limited knowledge, are either related to Muhammad (good luck trying to adapt those. First-person perspective, here I come!) or are wars (okay, those actually have potential. I don't know why I've never seen adaptations of those).
Shout 'DEUS VULT'
Alternately, state that the Ottoman Empire was the sick man of Europe prior to World War 1. It worked on my parents, so it probably works on others, too!
Have you met Catholics, etc.?
If you mean the general question— people of other religions, yes, but no. The fact that they are Christian, Buddhist, or whatever doesn't seem to matter at all to me. Then again, I've not gotten close enough to other people in general for much of anything to matter anymore—
...well, that got fucking depressing,
