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.

awww are you going to call me antisemitic for saying Muslim and Jewish children are all the same and deserve equal rights to practice their religion as they see fit? how lovely.

please explain how my statement is racist?

if you hate Muslims, that's fine. go your merry way. be careful you don't bump into any on the street, you might catch it.

Of course the school is being taken to court over this, we can't have schools that are only dedicated to learning can we?
Don't complain when prayer becomes compulsory.

Couldn't they just get a taller fence, so that all the abusive passers by couldn't see into the school premises in the first place?

Or maybe nobody is the racist here and @Moonwatcher1234 simply didn´t know - or consider - that other religions than islam also have specific prayers done at certain times of day.

It’s rather ironic that it’s you that throwing around accusations of racism. Darkly ironic.

no amount of logic can persuade racist bigots who have these kind of views. I voiced my outrage. or are we Muslims not allowed to do that?

that's nice.

The poster wants us to be like China.

I’m confused…

"all schools must hold a daily act of collective worship that must be 'wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character."

Edited to add this is for England only

I agree with you and am surprised at so many in favour of this public pursuit of prayer at school.

That´s what I meant, yes.

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”

Well, there are more religions than just Christianity and Islam. And the prayers of some other religions are also what one might call "ritualised" and or time specific.

The jury certainly isn't out on the academic success of the school, you only have to look at their results, they are way ahead of the national average.

I have heard the oft repeated mantra of their children being somehow incapable of surviving in the big wide world, which is total nonsense.

Do you think that children from chaotic schools, where they are full of their 'rights' are better equipped to deal with society, which has rules and expectations? I would think the Michaela children would be far better prepared.

But they can both do it surely? One doesn’t cancel out the other. I actually think it’s a lovely example of the similarities between the two faiths which we also sorely need to remember. Maybe they can work together to get an allocated prayer space - this doesn’t need to degenerate into mud slinging argument

Devout Catholics have ritual prayer at midday as well.

hi there @Moonwatcher1234 I realise now I have misunderstood your post. many apologies.

I thought you meant talking about Jewish and Muslim pupils being given equal rights to prayer was divisive. I realise now that you were making a different point. many apologies.

I understood it was because the prayers had been used somehow to make a protest about Israel,which I’m sure would have been very upsetting to already terrified Jewish children.

This wasn't mentioned in any of the court reporting

Precisely. Which is why I never said that they couldn´t do both. Or that they cancel each other out. Why would you think that? And why would you be thinking that I was trying to (quote) create divison?

I am simply saying that a rule that forbids prayer may also have an impact on pupils that are not Muslim. My example being Jewish pupils.

Edit: I think you misunderstood me. I was essentially agreeing with you and simply pointing out that the religious practices of various people - not "just" Muslims - might be impacted by this school rule.

And yes, both should be allowed to pray their daily prayers.

The court case is still happening (defence today) so there may be more reporting later.

Where did you get this understanding from? Why were children making a protest against Israel last March?

Utterly shocking that a school with presumably a high Muslim % makes no provision for prayers. In my dd's school there are less than 10 Muslims and the school gave them a very small ex office fir use at lunch time. I only found out as a mum was trying to create noise about this being "discrimination" as the Christian pupils weren't given a room 🙄. I believe praying in the playground would very much come under freedom of religious expression under the CRC.

Oops sorry - I get you. And agree with you - let’s hope the oxygen of publicity means that the school reconsiders this and all pupils can pray in safety.

That’s okay. There are some strange posts on here muddying the waters when, essentially, can’t people just agree on pupils being allowed to pray in safety and comfort? Special shout out to @timenowplease who exhibits head scratching levels of Islamophobia!

And how is that going? If changes are needed, surely it's for less religion in mainstream schools, not more.