A Derby mum says a school has treated her non-Muslim son unfairly by not allowing him a day off to celebrate the Islamic festival Eid ul-Adha with his schoolmates.
Pupils at Arboretum Primary School, where 17% are non-Muslims, were asked to fill in forms if they needed to take the day off today so that it could be classed as authorised absence on religious grounds.
Yeeees, I think the key words there are ‘on religious grounds’, not ‘on the grounds that he’d quite like a day off with all the other kids’…
Parent Emma King said permission for her son Aijae, five, to take the day off to celebrate with his Muslim friends and Muslim uncle was refused.
She said: "I have many Muslim friends and am quite happy for my son to take part in Muslim culture at school. He even eats halal meat.
"But for some reason he isn't being allowed to take the day off. I think this is very unfair when the majority of the school will get the day off.
"I was told that if I keep him away from school, then Aijae will be classed as a truant because it will be unauthorised."
Well, yes. Those are the rules. Abide by them, or take your brat elsewhere.
She said: "Last year, there were just two other children in his class for lessons during the Eid celebration day off.
"My son does not follow a set religion. He is multi- religious and takes into account everybody's beliefs and I believe it's his right to decide when he grows up which religion, if any, he follows. My son takes part in all Islamic subjects at school.
"I will not be sending him to school today anyway because it won't be worth it and we can visit my Muslim friends to celebrate with them."
Well, love, aren’t you planning to ask for Hanukkah and Diwali off too? I mean, since he’s ‘multi-religious’…*rolls eyes*
Head teacher Andrea Cruickshank confirmed that she had refused permission for Aijae to miss school.
She said: "This is a holiday that can only be authorised on religious grounds. Despite what she is saying, Mrs King ticked 'Christian' on the form when he first applied to come to the school.
"Other non-Muslims will come into school, such as Sikhs, and probably some Muslims who don't want to miss lessons."
Unless someone, somewhere sees some mileage in giving in to this scatty cow, of course. Then
everyone will be trying it on!
Mrs King denied that she indicated "Christian" on the form and insists she ticked "non-religious" instead.
Perhaps you’re just thick, love? Maybe you missed too much school as a kid?
Despite what she is saying, Mrs King ticked 'Christian' on the form when he first applied to come to the school.
ReplyDeleteIt's not as simple as that. The parent is at liberty to wake up and be any religion they choose. The head's permission is not required.
The head is mistaken if she thinks she can decide what is and is not a religion. The nearest we got to it was the Silver Ring Thing, and that was the court also getting in to areas which were none of its business. (Although the ring was a stupid idea).
The parent should simply tell the head that if the absence is classed as unauthorized, then a complaint of religious discrimination will be launched on the basis that the head is not able to decide who is, or is not, a Muslim, Jew, Pagan, whatever.
The school has been told the child intends to take the day off on religious grounds as they were asked to. Tick the authorized absence box and move on.
The head and the school are on a loser here.
"My son takes part in all Islamic subjects at school."
ReplyDeleteChrist on a bike. There are muslim subjects in a British state school?
Like what, exactly? How to chant a fairy-tale in some strange language? How to hate jews and infidels? Do the girls have to cover their heads and sit apart lest they might be having a period and cause all the noble muslim men palpitations?
If this is a muslim school, a so-called 'faith' school they can (and probably will) do what they want and peddle all kinds of claptrap. Giving the RoPniks a day off to swan about doing bugger all in the hope their sky-fairy blesses them isn't my idea of how it should be.
Last time I looked we were supposed (ha!) to be educating kids in UK state schools to take their place in the civilised world one day.
Or so I thought...
This woman does sound a bit like a prat but I'm erring towards siding with her.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't seem like he just wants to have the day off for a laugh.
In my world, all schools and workplaces would remain open and functioning through all non British festivals etc. But as long as we are giving some people time off on religious grounds, this chap should get it too considering he would actually be celebrating with muslims.
You are on form today, Julia. It would be cruel to add my skewer to a very effective impaling.
ReplyDelete@WoaR... Re the "Silver Ring Thing"...
ReplyDeleteOne of the very few times I heard Marcus Brigstocke (however you spell it) say something genuinely funny was when he briefly discussed this "movement"...
... If she want to wear a ring that shows she's not having any sex she should get married like the rest of us.
Well, it amused me anyway. :-)
Christ on a bike. There are muslim subjects in a British state school?
ReplyDeleteThis is not a faith school. It is just a school which happens to have 83% Muslim pupils. Which, you will notice, was written up as 17% non-Muslim in an effort not to frighten the horses.
Outline:
Since the beginning of free universal education in the 1880s it was settled that
a) State schools would be compelled to supply religious instruction in the Anglican mode.
b) A parent has an absolute and unconditional right to withdraw a child from that portion of the syllabus, so that they need not scruple to send their child to school for all the other subjects.
In the Education Act 1988, poor Mrs T had a number pulled on her. The term 'religious instruction' (i.e. Anglican Christianity as a default) was substituted by religious education i.e. the syllabus was now a quick tour of comparitive religions and no special place given to Anglican Christianity.
The absolute right to withdraw a child from the two places religion might impinge (the RE class and the assembly) remains, and the schools must not obstruct this right, although it won't surprise you to know that Ed Balls tried to make them compulsory, backing off when he realized the fights which would ensue.
I'd love to tell her yes as long as she doesn't mind him being at school on Christmas day, but of course the whole school will be closed for that anyway. Don't know why if 83% don't celebrate Christmas. Surely they just need a few Muslim teachers too and then Aijae can go too.
ReplyDeleteAnd Aijae? WTF? Sounds like the sound a trainee sushi chef makes when he gets something badly wrong.
So um...just out of curiosity, like...what does the Muslim Book Of Handy Religious Hints have to say about The Absolute Right for muslim children to take days off school when their religion is practised in a western Christian-based country ?
ReplyDelete...
Who decided this "Right" and why ?
...
Are there exceptions for other religions ?
...
Is...for instance..the Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster (all Hail His Noodly Appendages) allocated special holidays too ?
...
So many questions...only one real answer....and we all know it.
Just tell 'em your'e a Jedi luv .. and sod 'em all .. ;)
ReplyDelete"It's not as simple as that. The parent is at liberty to wake up and be any religion they choose."
ReplyDeleteExcept she isn't claiming to be Muslim, which - if she had - would have settled the matter. Who'd challenge the veracity of a claimed conversion?
"This woman does sound a bit like a prat but I'm erring towards siding with her."
Nope, I'm staying firmly in the 'silly, spoilt cow!' camp!
"Well, it amused me anyway. :-)"
:D
"I'd love to tell her yes as long as she doesn't mind him being at school on Christmas day..."
Ooooh, I like the way you think!
If you're going to call the output of your womb after a noise made during childbirth ('Aiiiiieeee')and send it to a school which is >80% followers of the skymolester, it probably isn't going to matter how many school days it misses. The die is cast.
ReplyDeleteNo comment from the sperm-donor either ?
Sushi chefs? Childbirth? You're all being a bit intellectual here; I'm willing to bet the child's name is pronounced the same way as the initials A.J.
ReplyDeleteAngry Exile - my thoughts too - about Christmas.
ReplyDeleteSeeing as 83% of the school are Muslim, the the school should be open all through Christmas and Easter and at least 83% of the pupils should be attending!
Why the hell should we. a Christian country give special treatment to other religisions whilst ignoring our own?
We are no longer our own country we are a little pocket of the world - a little island where there are more (or soon will be) other nationalities than indiginous English! We are losing our identity - or should that be our identity has been sold off by government, past and present!
Should just say:
ReplyDeleteRacist - No
Realist - Yes
I wonder how many muslim pupils attend school at christmas and easter?
ReplyDeleteYou allow your son to engage in muslin rituals? shame on you for pandering to this medieval murder cult.
ReplyDeleteHalal meat? Animals dying slowly in pain and fear to appease their absurd sky pixie.
But how many of the muslim kids celebrate Christian festivals? Yeah,muslims aint real big on reciprocity.