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.

@BFPeva but these are children who would like to pray in their own time (not lesson time). What is the issue with giving them space to pray. My school does (and yes we also have a range of other groups of faith and secular groups too).

yep. everyone pray or not pray however they want. its such a non issue. the real issue here is the amount of hatred and abuse/threats these children faced for simply being Muslim and practising Islam. demonstrates how islamophobic attacks are on the rise

I respectfully disagree. I think parents should have the option to send their children to faith based schools if they wish. my (Muslim) parents felt more comfortable sending me to a Christian school than a non faith based school as they felt it was important for me to be around spirituality and faith even if it was not Islam. I loved my time there and came out having undergone many spiritual realisations. my cousin sends her children to a cathololic school as again she feels there is more of a focus on kindness/caring/love than her other option non faith local school (which has better academic performance)

I realise a lot of people have negative experiences in religious schools but that does not negate their contributions to this country. children may come out atheists or agnostics or of another faith but they can still appreciate certain positive values reinforced in faith based schools.

Against the general opinion here, I am opposed to any religious ritual in schools. State and religion should be secular, that includes schools. Pupils should leave their religion at the gates.

We are a majority secular society, notionally Christian, but it is way overdue that we no longer have religion in our state services.

DD's last school had multiple classrooms available at lunchtime for students who wished to pray/hold collective worship. Dd led one such meeting each week (Anglican)

For goodness’ sake, this woman gets right up my nose. Just provide a little room inside the building for people to pray if they wish. She loves a fucking drama and this is all about her and the attention (again)

As I've said I'm with @KnittedCardi - less not more religion. Also I don't think the tax payer should be funding religious schools - effectively selective schools at tax payer expense. A way of people like the Blair's claiming they use state schools when these schools are not open to everyone. The UK is a Christian country. I didn't get the choice to send my child to a secular school - that's not fair either!

I think it's also important to remember many of these religions are very backwards in their attitudes to women and girls. I thought it was in the news a few years ago that some schools were separating boys and girls. This should not be going on and should not be tax payer funded.

@DreamItDoIt - that's not what's being discussed here though! This is optional prayer that some students wish to do in lunchtime. In a secondary school. Why is this a problem!

The result for myself, DP, most of my siblings, friends, acquaintances and colleagues is that we are agnostic or atheist.

Lots of us were also made to go to Church, Temple, Mosque, etc by our families.

So I think it works well.

It’s heartening to see so much support for the muslim schoolchildren on this thread.

According to a news report this morning, the school do provide an indoor space for prayer but recently a small number of students have insisted on praying in the playground instead. This has spread and become an issue in the running of the school. The school are keen for the prayers to take place in the designated space.

This smacks of the school trying to backtrack and cover themselves. Reports are that there was no designated space but prayers were not expressly banned. Ms birbalsingh is typically trying to deflect when she has been roundly called out and attempting to re-write the narrative. It’s not hard - give all pupils of all faiths a safe place to perform their prayers if they so wish. She makes everything she touches such as drama.

Her statement today makes no reference to a space being available. And if it was there would be no grounds for the case.

@Meceme - do you have a link to the news report - it doesn't seem to tally with KB's own statement

Because it's in a school. Because it shouldn't be required during the school day. School should not be a place of worship. For anyone.

It was reported on GBnews (I know Im going to be flamed for that) by Julia Hartley Brewer.

She is a heroine!

Why is the only comparator "chaotic schools"? What about normal schools that don't impose such rigid rules, don't spoon-feed their pupils, and allow them to think for themselves?

It's not required by the school! What's the problem with students practising their religion at lunchtime.

Odd that KB didn't mention it.

it's your islamophobic mindset that doesn't belong in any civilised country

Of course its not required by the school, why would it be? Required by the religion, possibly, or by the culture, also possible. But back to my point. Why do students NEED to practise their religion during the school day, which includes lunchtime.

Because they want to. Why do students want to do any of the things they do at lunchtime? Our Christian Union group pray together every Thursday lunchtime. Chamber Choir meet every Monday. Why? Because that's what those students would like to do in their break time!

KB quite clearly says in her statement on twitter this morning that they do not have an indoor space for prayer and all parents are made aware of this when they sign up. Nor does she want to separate children according to race or religion.