Schoolboys disciplined for 'refusing to pray to Allah'

[jetsetter]

Schoolboys disciplined for 'refusing to pray to Allah'
By Nick Britten
Last Updated: 12:37AM BST 05/07/2008
Two schoolboys were allegedly disciplined after refusing to kneel down and "pray to Allah" during a religious education lesson.

A spokesman for Cheshire County Council said 'Educating children in the beliefs of different faiths is part of Cheshire's diversity curriculum'

It was claimed that the boys, from a year seven class of 11 and 12-year-olds, were given detention after refusing to take part in a practical demonstration of how Allah is worshipped.

Yesterday parents accused the school of breaching their human rights by forcing them to take part in the exercise.

One, Sharon Luinen, said: "This isn't right, it's taking things too far. I understand that they have to learn about other religions. I can live with that but it is taking it a step too far to be punished because they wouldn't join in Muslim prayer.

"Making them pray to Allah, who isn't who they worship, is wrong and what got me is that they were told they were being disrespectful."

Another parent Karen Williams, 38, whose 12-year-old daughter is a classmate of the boys, said: "I am absolutely furious my daughter was made to take part in it and I don't find it acceptable.

"The teacher had gone into the class and made them watch a short film and then said 'we are now going out to pray to Allah'.

"Then two boys got detention and all the other children missed their refreshments' break."

She added: "Not only was it forced upon them, my daughter was told off for not doing it right.

"They'd never done it before and they were supposed to do it in another language."

She said the pupils were asked if they had water on them, and when one girl produced a bottle, the teacher began washing her feet with it.

Her husband Keith, 44, a painter and decorator, said: "The school is wonderful but this one teacher has made a major mistake. It seems to be happening throughout society. People think they can ride roughshod over our beliefs and the way we live."

The alleged incident, at the Alsager school, one of Cheshire's top performing schools, happened on Tuesday afternoon. The teacher, Alison Phillips, the school's subject leader in RE, is understood to be staying away from the school until the furore dies down, although she has not been suspended.

She is said to have got prayer mats out of the cupboard and also asked children to wear Islamic headdresses.

Deputy headmaster Keith Plant said: "I have spoken to the teacher and she has articulately given me her version of events."

Sources at the school said the incident could have been down to Miss Phillips instigating a role play and not properly briefing the pupils, all aged around 12, what she was doing.

A spokesman for Cheshire County Council said they were investigating. He added: "The headteacher contacted the authority immediately complaints were received. Enquiries are being made into the circumstances as a matter of urgency and all parents will be informed accordingly.

"Educating children in the beliefs of different faiths is part of Cheshire's diversity curriculum on the basis that knowledge is, of course, is essential to understanding.

"We accept that such teaching has to be conducted with commonsense and sensitivity."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2247...-Allah%27.html

I get learning about other religions, it is something I do all the time. But it seems that the teacher's actions would be disrespectful not only to the students who don't want to do it but to Islam itself.

[teeb]

Originally Posted by jetsetter

I get learning about other religions, it is something I do all the time. But it seems that the teacher's actions would be disrespectful not only to the students who don't want to do it but to Islam itself.

For once I agree with you.

"Educating children in the beliefs of different faiths is part of Cheshire's diversity curriculum on the basis that knowledge is, of course, is essential to understanding.

Good, fine. I understand about learning about other religions. Heck, I agree it should be something that everyone does at school. Visiting mosques, synagogues or churches, too (I visited all three back in school) are again something I think is a good idea. And respecting local customs when there - no shoe-wearing in mosques, for example - is fine too.

Actually making the kids go through the motions strikes me as taking it a bit far, though.

And is asking for middle England (and the tabloids) to get involved and cause trouble.


edit - heh, there's no rentaquote from an Imam or leader of the local mosque.

[Buba]

The way I look at all those things: Try to see it the other way round. The outrage if a muslim were forced to participate actively in a catholic service...

[MacGuffin]

Originally Posted by Buba

The way I look at all those things: Try to see it the other way round. The outrage if a muslim were forced to participate actively in a catholic service...

Indeed. Lives have been threatened for lesser reasons when it comes to religion...

[otispunkmeyer]

all ill say is this

they wouldn't dare make muslim kids pray to the christian god thats for sure. the PC nutters wouldnt allow it, yet some how its fine to try force the native people to pray to the immigrants gods. some people just do not live in reality.

this country isnt going to the dogs, its already there and been mauled. Labour and the people that make these dumb descisions cant leave too soon. fuckers. i seriously believe they exist in some kind of fantasy dimension where they believe the ideas they come up with are genuinely good, when in actual fact they couldnt be any more wrong.

i

[petarkb]

In other news: authorities in the UK have messed up priorities, and good ideas are being taken to absurdity.

[Jeepin]

while I certainly do not agree with this at all, would it have been that hard for the kid to just do it? I mean they gotta learn to do things they dont want to. We have to, part of life. any way I definatly do agree if it had been a muslim kid this would be an international crisis but isn't this already out of hand?

[Vette Boss]

You can't just force a certain religion on people, it doesn't work. I agree it's a good idea to expose children to a certain degree to teach them, but wanting them to pray to a specific deity is over the top.

This isn't just a case of a toddler who won't eat cauliflower, it's completely wrong. You can't expect everyone to be sheep, either.

[AlexmanDK]

Originally Posted by Jeepin

while I certainly do not agree with this at all, would it have been that hard for the kid to just do it? I mean they gotta learn to do things they dont want to. We have to, part of life. any way I definatly do agree if it had been a muslim kid this would be an international crisis but isn't this already out of hand?

I don't think that when you are 12 years old you can differ from "acting out" a prayer and actual prayer when the teacher tells you to pray. For all we know they might have been thinking that they would become muslims? (I'm not saying that's a bad thing)

I would have refused to participate just as much as these kids here..

[Jeepin]

Originally Posted by AlexmanDK

I don't think that when you are 12 years old you can differ from "acting out" a prayer and actual prayer when the teacher tells you to pray. For all we know they might have been thinking that they would become muslims? (I'm not saying that's a bad thing)

I would have refused to participate just as much as these kids here..

c'mon I was fakin my way through prayers long before I was 12. you're telling me a 6th grader doesn't know the difference between actually doing something and just being shown how its done?

[AlexmanDK]

Well because you know how to do it doesn't mean that everybody else knows how to.. I'm just saying

[Jeepin]

I do see your point,really. I just dont really see what makes this even news worthy. I would still think its not news worthy if it was a muslim kid in a church. I guess I just see it as a kid that didn't do what the teacher told him and got in trouble. People get really touchy when it comes to religion. As put by the late George Carlin "there should be an additional commandment, thou shalt keep thy religion to thy self"

[Viper007Bond]

Wow, I was all ready to come in here and go "meh, well it is the the middle east", but this was in the UK, WTF? I woulda done the exact same thing. And no, I'm not anti-Muslim specifically, I'm just anti-religion.

[Firecat]

Originally Posted by otispunkmeyer

they wouldn't dare make muslim kids pray to the christian god thats for sure. the PC nutters wouldnt allow it,

I disagree, and I know that it has happened.

I'm sure it was an innocent follow-along type thing. However, it's better off to teach by the book (literally).

And when I went to school, we had to sing hymns and say the "Lord's prayer"...I would lower my head out of respect. It wasn't really a big deal.

[Posmo]

Originally Posted by Buba

The way I look at all those things: Try to see it the other way round. The outrage if a muslim were forced to participate actively in a catholic service...

Bullseye. The muslims are not required to do that because they think that every religion is lesser than their own.. I wouldn't want my (future) children to learn Islam in schools. I say we stay as "racist" as we have always been for as long as they keep bombing and stealing our stuff..

[Firecat]

I've already pointed out that muslims have been forced to participate in other religious services in schools. That really shouldn't come as a surprise.

Originally Posted by Posmo

I wouldn't want my (future) children to learn Islam in schools.

Not even to learn about it? I don't see anything wrong with teaching about Islam or Christianity, like how kids learn about communism and other ideologies.

Originally Posted by Posmo

I say we stay as "racist" as we have always been for as long as they keep bombing and stealing our stuff..

I don't even think a response to such a comment is deserved. But keep believing that, and nothing will be solved.

[BlaRo]

Originally Posted by Posmo

I say we stay as "racist" as we have always been for as long as they keep bombing and stealing our stuff..

First your gay comments, now this...I thought Jerry Falwell died already. Turns out he's just in Scandinavian exile...