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Original poster

Non faith school re-arranging events because of eid

253 replies

reikizen · 19/06/2015 17:30

My daughter's primary school is a large multicultural one, but is not a faith school. They sent a letter tonight saying the year 6 leavers assembly has been rearranged to accommodate children who may be kept off school for eid. This means I can't now go as I have to request my shifts at work well in advance and did so on the information the school originally gave. I am really cross and feel like contacting the school as I can't understand why the personal preferences of a certain group of parents should trump all other considerations. I know of at least 3 other year 6 parents who can't attend the new date, and my daughter will be very upset when I tell her. Would you complain?

OP posts:
HeffaLumpers · 19/06/2015 20:31

I think YANB. Regardless of the reason the school have been unorganised and now some children and parents will be disappointed. How long ago was the original date set? Why was a clash with eid not immediately noticed and rectified?

Smellyoulateralligator · 19/06/2015 20:38

She's fucking with you if she says she's from a high caste in Egypt sad
No caste system there.

fuzzywuzzy · 19/06/2015 20:46

Sad try and deliver the full English at 1:40, fast begins ie you cannot eat or drink from 2:40am. Your hugely generous efforts will be in vain otherwise.

And your neighbour isn't allowed more than four wives, you may wish to tell him he's doing it wrong.

Oh and in all my life I've never met anyone who couldn't function because of fasting, nobody has dropped dead from fasting either.

Oh and Sadwidow, I don't believe a word of your posts as there are so many very simple mistakes.

And anyone who's interested you get Christmas off in the Middle East. It's a holiday hth.

Original poster
reikizen · 19/06/2015 20:48

And just to be clear, I do work very often on Christmas Day. Because babies don't respect religious festivals! So the argument about 'would you expect your children to go to school on Christmas morning' doesn't stand up as my Christmas morning is often held on Boxing Day!
If kids get two days off for religious observance I want my kids to have two days off school for non religious observance please. Where do I apply???

OP posts:
fuzzywuzzy · 19/06/2015 20:55

Reiki, march into school and demand it. See what they say. Then argue the mozlamics get it and this country is going to rack and ruin and shariah law.

YesThisIsMe · 19/06/2015 21:12

Islam is a red herring. If ten of the 60 year 6 leavers were selected to take part in a huge County athletics event on the day of the Leavers' Assembly then I bet they'd move the assembly so that as many of the leavers as possible could actually be there.

But any school that has a significant number of Muslim students should routinely plan ahead to avoid big school events at Eid anyway, so blame the school (although a quick Google shows that plausible-looking websites disagree about whether it's on the Friday or the Saturday, so I guess there's some excuse for them).

alteredimages · 19/06/2015 21:31

sad widow you do know we don't have 'castes' in Egypt, right?

I would also eat my hat if I met an upper class Egyptian, male or female, with no knowledge of English or French.

sadwidow28 · 19/06/2015 21:44

Oh and Sadwidow, I don't believe a word of your posts as there are so many very simple mistakes.

I appreciate your suspicion. I myself was equally wondering when the DW came to this country.

There IS a caste system (as much as our government is made up of public school boys). My friend's wife is higher caste (Egypt). I took my brother to visit and he asked why all the wedding photos included the Egyptian Government (this is about 10 years ago). I didn't know - but friend pointed to an Uncle, a father, a brother and a cousin.....

When the wife was expected into UK, my brother fitted a 'douche' on their toilet for sanitary reasons.

Now don't tell me that I have been taken for a mug for 10 years.

fuzzywuzzy · 19/06/2015 21:51

There's no caste system, she's simply filthy rich and prolly speaks english and French more fluently than the english French do.

I expect she's merely graciously accepted your servitude, as one simply can't get the staff these days. Do deliver the breakfast at 1:40 and not later tho.

sadwidow28 · 19/06/2015 21:56

alteredimages You are quite correct. Friend's wife speaks French and German - but no English. Her first language is Arabic. We communicate more easily via French (which I only have to 'O' Level).

My friend is fluent in 5 languages. Because he has had residency here for 45+ years, he considers English to to be his first language, but I see that he's more comfortable when he speaks in Arabic to his friends via Skype.

sadwidow28 · 19/06/2015 22:00

fuzzywuzzy you just made me laugh - thank you. I have probably been taken for a mug (I realise that now).

I am just waiting for the sun to go down to take over a small tray of fruit and nuts and tea.

lem73 · 19/06/2015 22:02

There is no caste system in Egypt ffs. I lived there for a long time. There are large differences between social classes though. I think perhaps your problem is you don't understand what caste means. Also I have never met an upper class Egyptian who can't speak English or French. It's unheard of. They're having you on.
Back to the Op. The school should have thought of Eid but it's hard when no one knows the date for sure until the last minute. This year it is likely to be Saturday 18th. That means the kids would get a couple of days at the weekend to celebrate and they can go into school on Monday. I wouldn't dream of asking the school to rearrange. I usually only keep my kids off one day for Eid anyway.

Chocolatewaterfalls · 19/06/2015 22:07

I honestly can't believe you think it is unreasonable when a months notice has been given. By contrast there are 4 (yes 4) events which somehow I am supposed to attend next week of various times of day - all of which have changed timing in the last couple of weeks.... No idea how of if I will able attend any of them.

lem73 · 19/06/2015 22:11

To be fair my dh has missed a couple of school events due to changing dates.

ilovesooty · 19/06/2015 22:17

The school should have been more efficient in their planning.
I really can't believe though how many posters seriously object to days off for religious observance, especially the poster who signalled such disrespect that she lied and said her daughter was sick.
Many employers accommodate employees practising and celebrating their faith.

nocoolnamesleft · 20/06/2015 00:09

A month's notice is ridiculously short.

CoI: It is in my job contract that I must give at least 6 weeks notice of requests for leave, and that is only granted if able to swap out of certain duties.

BrumBabe · 20/06/2015 00:21

ilovesooty - if you read my post properly I actually said I had no problem with the school giving the time off for Eid.

My point was that to a 10 year old the fact her friends were having 2 days off and she wasn't was unfair. If the school had been organised maybe they should have had teacher training days on those days.

I let her have the second day off as she could watch DVD's just as well at home instead of school.

keepitsimple0 · 20/06/2015 00:33

I don't think that days off school for religious celebrations should be authorised (unless at a faith specific school). The number of different religions means that you'd have children off all the bloody time.

I am a-ok with this the day we chuck christianity out of the school system. As it stands, many people here seem appalled by encroachment of islam on a state school when 1/3 of schools are CofE.

keepitsimple0 · 20/06/2015 00:35

CoI: It is in my job contract that I must give at least 6 weeks notice of requests for leave, and that is only granted if able to swap out of certain duties.

it's your job that unreasonable then. A months notice isn't short. that's about a 1/3 of a term.

nocoolnamesleft · 20/06/2015 00:39

So you'd be happy if your child's hospital appointment was cancelled on a month's notice?

keepitsimple0 · 20/06/2015 00:46

So you'd be happy if your child's hospital appointment was cancelled on a month's notice?

um, yeah. a months notice is plenty of time.

keepitsimple0 · 20/06/2015 00:48

I should be clear, I wouldn't "be happy". nobody likes a change of schedule. but a months notice is plenty. how much more notice do you want?

keepitsimple0 · 20/06/2015 00:49

One question: if your work is so inflexible, how do they deal with employees calling in sick?

decisionsdecisions123 · 20/06/2015 01:22

I cant help but be amused by the Egyptian caste story. I also don't quite believe it but who knows, sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.

They sound a most odd family if it really is true and why the poster is preparing their food and delivering it to them twice a day is beyond me. I get up and go to work before 8am and arrive home between 5 and 6pm. I have no one preparing food for myself and my children. I survive. I am not severely dehydrated as some suggested earlier nor do I 'take to my bed'. When I return home from a long and tiring day outside I do lie down for about an hour, maybe 2 as there is still a fair while to go till its time to break the fast. If I had someone bringing me all the food I needed then it wouldn't feel like I was doing things properly.

Tell your upper class Egyptian friend to get off her bottom and put a bit more effort into it.

As for the Eid assembly, if I were a Muslim parent I would be petty disappointed if the leavers assembly were scheduled during Eid. I get why you are annoyed about it being changed to a date you cant attend, but its the schools fault for not thinking about these things. not to fault of the Muslim parents or their children.

Someone suggested going to the assembly then taking the rest of the day for Eid. It doesn't quite work like that, people go for Eid prayers in the morning. It isn't just a bit of present opening and watching TV for the rest of the day.

nocoolnamesleft · 20/06/2015 01:50

One question: if your work is so inflexible, how do they deal with employees calling in sick?

Very badly.