to not send my girls on this school trip because of my beliefs

[JustGiveMeTwoMinutes]

The trip is to a mosque and the girls (year 3 and 4) have to cover their heads with a scarf, the boys don't have to.

Just to be clear about where I am coming from, this is about a specific practice which I believe is discriminatory and therefore disagree with. I would not choose myself to enter a building that I could only enter if I wore particular clothes but where that requirement was limited to one gender or one group defined by arbitrary characteristics. I would be happy to cover my head as a sign of respect/tradition if everyone entering the building was required to do so.

They can make their own decision on this when they are adults.

Am I being ridiculous and petty or is it reasonable to stand up for my view that just because a custom is part of a religion that does not excuse it being discriminatory?

YABU in my opinion,it's just to show respect. We did a similar visit with our students and it was really interesting, kids enjoyed it and learned a lot, and neither the girls or myself were traumatised by wearing a headscarf for an hour!!

I bet you any money you wouldn't feel the same about them visiting a church.

Females particularly have to dress modestly (no cleavage, reduce bare skin etc) when visiting churches/cathedrals across Europe, there are so many I could name.

Oh but nooooooo they're not mosques and Muslims so it doesn't matter.

YABU its a school trip. Girl who haven't started puberty don't have to be covered.

YANBU.

Would a Muslim Mother be labelled unreasonable if she was asking about a school trip that required her DDs to remove their head dresses in the name of education and tolerance.

Women haven't had to cover their heads in Catholic Churches since Vatican II ie the 1960s.

There is some protocol about meeting the Pope, but not all women observe that. Not even all Catholic women observe that.

YANBU

Supporting something which is, not only against your believes, but also against the laws of this country! is wrong. I would be very reluctant to act as if I condone something when I really don't.

It annoyed me just as much that I had to cover up to go to the Vatican. I did it, because I wanted to see the building, but I can't for the life of me figure out why having bare arms is 'disrespectful' unless my supposedly god-given body is somehow offensive.

I visited an orthodox Jewish synagogue once, I had to sit upstairs with the women. It was fascinating. I would never belong to a religion that required me to do that but it was interesting to find out about it and experience it. Similarly I cover my head and dress appropriately when visiting mosques and churches abroad, I would never belong to any of them. I take my shoes off in a house which has a 'no shoes' policy - I don't impose that on visitors to my house ..... I totally understand about the discriminatory practices argument - but to be honest the more your dds SEE that these things happen the more their own eyes will be open to this!

Hell would have to freeze over before I or my daughter covered our heads in the name of some religion

This ^^

Just imagining the kids all arriving and the girls having to cover their hair while the boys stand and wait makes my blood boil.

Why is she meant to wear a headscarf? Unless she is about to pray no she doesn't have to. Both boys and girls have to have arms and legs covered heads don't need to be covered for non Muslim's on a tour of the mosque.

Has the imam stated the children need to cover their heads or us the school decided they should with no consulting?

Is it against the laws of the UK to cover your hair?

YANBU. These school visits are nothing more than indoctrination sessions. No way would I let my children go. I hope that you hold firm.

No gender discrimination is against the law Maud, except when it comes to religion then women can be treated whatever way the men see fit.

Both of my DDs have visited mosques and didn't have to wear scarves. I was brought up a catholic and didn't have to cover my head. And I'm quite old.

I wonder has the op got the wrong end I of the stick... Have you got it in writing that they have to wear a scarf?

I was brought up Roman Catholic (First Holy Communion etc), and went to the same church until about 12. I no longer attend anywhere. I never covered my head, some of the older ladies wore hats and some wore mantillas ( I think, like little veils) but not all. Personally I really wouldn't want my children to be setting foot in a mosque but would accept it in terms of being part of their education and I suppose having to cover her head is part of that education regardless of if I like it or not.

YANBU.
If they could go without having to put a scarf on, that would be ok, and educational, but asking them to do it is a mark of disrespect I would not stand for. The headscarf is not even an obligation for Muslim women, so why impose it to non-Muslim? The school should find another mosque that accept non-veiled women, they exist all over the country!

Personally I think that it's a good thing to teach them to respect other people's cultures, even if you don't necessarily agree with them!

Catholicism and Islam despise women. Asking girls to go into their territories and accept disrespect from them is unacceptable.

I wonder if the school has decided this without consulting the Imam? There are a lot of muslim children in my DDs primary school, some wear headscarves and some don't - it often appears to be cultural rather than religious - many of the Somali girls wear headscarves from nursery onwards but very few of the Pakistani children do. My understanding is that pre-pubescent girls are not required to wear a headscarf.. I would contact whoever is organising the trip and ask (politely) if they can check if it is necessary. I would be very surprised if any mosque insisted that a visiting party of primary aged children must wear headscarves.

I would find out which Mosque and have a word with the Immam. Could be the school being over-zealous.

Personally I think that it's a good thing to teach them to respect other people's cultures

Excellent - in which case they will respect that it's not the OPs DD's culture to cover her head and be welcoming regardless.

Will the female teachers be asked if they are menstruating before being allowed to enter - or is that just an urban myth?

yabu, its just a scarf. pretty much all religions prefer various degrees of modesty when in a sacred place of worship. She wont catch muslim

It's normally just removal of footwear for ALL visitors. The school should find another mosque. YANBU. I am Catholic cailindana , didn't realise I was despised

It's not compulsory for the girls to wear a scarf, yes for the girls that are attending learning Arabic, learning how to pray etc then it's better that they wear it because it must be worn when praying, but for someone of another faith/ or no faith visiting a mosque they do not need to wear a scarf regardless of age.
I would find out where this decision has come from - is it the mosque or someone at school who's got it all wrong?

They can make a decision when they are adults. It's a primary school educational trip, just let them go and if you feel that strongly discuss it with them and tell them why you think it's wrong.