UK's strictest Headmistress taken to school over banning prayers in the playground

[cakeorwine]

Top London school taken to high court over prayer ban | London | The Guardian

I don't believe that schools should have a compulsory act of worship.
However - it seems that there has been a ban on prayer rituals on the premises.

"The prayer policy was introduced in March last year by the school’s founder, Katharine Birbalsingh – frequently described as Britain’s strictest headteacher – when the school found itself the target of abuse and harassment after pupils were seen praying in the school playground by passersby. About 30 students took part, some kneeling on their blazers as they were not permitted to bring in prayer mats, the court heard.
Before these events, the court heard that prayers were not expressly banned at Michaela, though it had no dedicated prayer room. The new policy had the “practical effect of only preventing Muslims from praying because their prayer by nature has a ritualised nature rather than being internal”, the court heard.
The pupil’s lawyer said it was in effect “a ban uniquely on Muslim prayer”, stopping pupils praying “at a time as required by Islam”. In contrast, it would not, she said, prevent a Christian child sitting quietly in the corner of the playground from praying"

I think it seems that prayer mats were banned - and I think it seems they were banned from kneeling on blazers.

If someone wants to pray in the playground voluntarily, then they should be able to. It's not an act of compulsory worship.

I can see why they wanted this kept quiet.

Is this the same woman who was the social mobility chair and said something to the effects of children from working class backgrounds should aim lower than Oxbridge?

Which is only necessary because she won't provide any private prayer space.

She’s a ghastly nutcase

Which bit?

Your comprehension skills are lacking. It’s not school sanctioned prayer - it’s the pupils wishing to do so in their free time. Freedom of worship? Don’t make this into something bigger than it is - Muslims pray 5 times a day - it’s not controversial or closed minded thinking and it doesn’t need to impinge on anybody else but this Tory headteacher is trying to make a point at her pupils expense which is abhorrent.

😂😂😂if I have to explain it to you, there is no point explaining.

and I don't enjoy engaging with ignorant islamophobes and racists. thanks

It does seem unwise not to provide a place for prayer inside the school but is within the Government school guidelines.

They were banned from praying in the playground due to intimidation, harassment and threats from members of the public including bottles being thrown over the railings into the playground and a hoax bomb threat which resulted in the school having to close for two days.

It will be interesting to see what the court decide.

that is sickening

Like the freedom to practice religion?
Do you know what irony is?

Ridiculous there should be a prayer room - and that's coming from someone who is agnostic and really don't feel religious practice should be in schools, only religious theory - if someone wants to pray, let them ffs - stupid woman

Nope that was the media spin - here's what she actually said https://schoolsweek.co.uk/this-is-what-i-really-said-about-social-mobility/

Your comments show your real agenda - actually salah is a beautiful thing and that 5 minutes of prayer is akin to an emotional or spiritual reset and is good for the soul. My kids do yoga in class with the teacher and , I suppose with the same aims. Is your problem that it’s the Muslims? You appear to have some very ignorant views and clearly don’t know any Muslims in real life.

Wow, that is awful. Shows what a safe world I live in. I imagined problems such as getting your blazer muddy or being trampled by other boys playing football.

The jury's out on both of those. They're somewhat adept at managing out children who don't fit the mould and won't enhance their stats, and I question whether those children are happy or making progress. Equally, because they have a very prescriptive teaching style, we have yet to see how that works in terms of their pupils' progress when they have to go out into the big wide world and can no longer have stock answers spoon-fed to them.

When I went over the Christmas period, it was too full and praying was done outside of m&s... I have no issue with people praying. Just stating that I have noticed a massive increase in the last few years.

Totally agree.

Jewish pupils might have an issue with this as well. Especially if they´re on schoolgrounds from morning to evening...

Is it actually a ban on prayer? Or a ban on prayer outside ?

not on individual prayer but on organised group prayer ?

if the prayer group has become very large, it may have outgrown any prayer room,
but taking it outside has put the school pupils and staff at risk from ignorant twats on the street?

I guess we’ll know more by the end of today

what on earth does that mean? Why on earth would they have an issue with that? Don’t try and create division where it doesn’t exist.

because religious Jewish pupils would also need comple ritual prayers at specific times.

careful @Moonwatcher1234 your racism is showing. you must hide it better.

Actually I don’t think it’s Moonwatcher that’s the racist here…

If the group has out grown one room - provide more than one. This really isn't hard.

Because they might want to do the Jewish midday prayer... This rule therefore has an impact on Muslim pupils who want to pray and non-Muslim pupils who may also want to pray.
Why wouldn´t they - they being anyone prevented from praying - have an issue with that?

@therealcookiemonster Thank you for your logical and reasoned counter argument, very persuasive.