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Original poster

School payment to mosque

132 replies

mumyes · 02/02/2023 15:44

DS going on school trip to mosque.

Mosque is a big one, very wealthy. Don't want to be too outing. But think v ornate, v wealthy, wealthy area etc.

Parents being asked to contribute financially to trip, which includes a payment to the mosque.

I have no issue with laying for bus etc, but I do have an issue paying the mosque! Ffs, it's a PR exercise for the mosque after all isn't it?! just do it, why charge and already strapped primary school?

Miserable bastards. Charging a school to show them inside a mosque?!

And I'd say this if it was a church or temple or Godess knows what! Do churches really charge?!

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 02/02/2023 15:48

If you aren't attending an actual service you have to pay to go into St Paul's Cathedral in London. I think maybe Westminster Abbey too.
How do you think religious buildings can afford to maintain the buildings?

ReamsOfCheese · 02/02/2023 15:49

Surely it's a voluntary suggested donation? Isn't that what they usually have for them? Or possibly is the school trying to virtue signal by giving them money that wasn't actually asked for?

WiddlinDiddlin · 02/02/2023 15:50

The cathedrals and bigger churches with stuff worth seeing do indeed ask for a donation and for large groups I am fairly sure they ask quite heavily... yeah!

It's hardly a PR exercise for the Mosque, be sensible - but it is taking time out of someones day to show them round, that someone will be DBS checked, they may provide work sheets/materials relevant to the visit.

Such places are generally charitable organisations, why do you think they should be free?

LaLaLouella · 02/02/2023 15:52

I'm not sure a visit to a local mosque is comparable with a visit to St Paul's Cathedral....

I wouldn't expect them to be charged either - it's an educational out reach visit

littleducks · 02/02/2023 15:53

Sounds odd, not usually charged for entry. I would wonder what is the money going to be used for. If it's to cover materials used in an activity on the day (eg. Crafts) I would be fine with that. Or if it went to a charity, local mosque has an almost like soup kitchen thing with a cooked hot meal provided in a takeaway box to anyone in need of any faith on one or two nights a week.

DontTouchMePlease · 02/02/2023 15:56

Our local cathedral is pay on entry, York minster, Gloucester Cathedral etc etc…you have to pay to enter and look around all of them these days.
Why do you think the Mosque should be free for a educational tour?

Original poster
mumyes · 02/02/2023 16:00

Pretty sure cathedrals and churches don't charge schools for visits

OP posts:
Original poster
mumyes · 02/02/2023 16:01

Pay on entry is different, this is a primary school visit. Not a tourist trip.

This is a 'learn all about religions' part of the national curriculum.

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 02/02/2023 16:01

@LaLaLouella not all Mosques in the UK a small 'local' ones.
Regents Park Mosque is pretty massive and fancy - same as St Paul's Cathedral.

VeniVidiWeeWee · 02/02/2023 16:03

St Paul's, London, charges from £3.00 per pupil.

Dotjones · 02/02/2023 16:03

Sounds like a scam, I wouldn't be surprised if the money is being skimmed off somewhere. Not sure if it's someone connected with the school or not but there's no way you should be paying for something like this. If anything the mosque should be paying the costs of the school's transport because it's basically just a PR/advert for them,

TomatoSandwiches · 02/02/2023 16:04

If it offends you just don't pay.

Original poster
mumyes · 02/02/2023 16:04

littleducks · 02/02/2023 15:53

Sounds odd, not usually charged for entry. I would wonder what is the money going to be used for. If it's to cover materials used in an activity on the day (eg. Crafts) I would be fine with that. Or if it went to a charity, local mosque has an almost like soup kitchen thing with a cooked hot meal provided in a takeaway box to anyone in need of any faith on one or two nights a week.

I don't think they'll be any great craft extravaganza! But maybe...!

This mosque really is extremely well off. It's hard to give more info without outing, but it's fancy to the point of ostentatiousness! And not old, so recent money built it.

Just cross that school / parents have to fund this.

OP posts:
Original poster
mumyes · 02/02/2023 16:04

TomatoSandwiches · 02/02/2023 16:04

If it offends you just don't pay.

But then school still have to find the money, and our kids suffer!

OP posts:
BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 02/02/2023 16:04

Just Google the mosque and look for admission prices. Some venues charge entry, then have a reduced rate for large groups.

SallyWD · 02/02/2023 16:05

Maybe it's just a courtesy thing? My children did a day when they visited a mosque, synagogue and church in one day. All 3 buildings got a donation.

Original poster
mumyes · 02/02/2023 16:05

Dotjones · 02/02/2023 16:03

Sounds like a scam, I wouldn't be surprised if the money is being skimmed off somewhere. Not sure if it's someone connected with the school or not but there's no way you should be paying for something like this. If anything the mosque should be paying the costs of the school's transport because it's basically just a PR/advert for them,

Nah, school is totally kosher (haha!) so no creaming off there.

OP posts:
Mindymomo · 02/02/2023 16:06

My son had a trip to the local Mosque here in Woking, when I queried the cost the breakdown included school having to employ a supply teacher for those not going on trip. Son didn’t go.

Needmorelego · 02/02/2023 16:06

@mumyes would you be happy to pay for an educational trip to St Paul's Cathedral (or similar)?

Original poster
mumyes · 02/02/2023 16:06

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 02/02/2023 16:04

Just Google the mosque and look for admission prices. Some venues charge entry, then have a reduced rate for large groups.

This should not be charged IMO, it's not the same as a friend adult admiring the architecture

OP posts:
Original poster
mumyes · 02/02/2023 16:06

Needmorelego · 02/02/2023 16:06

@mumyes would you be happy to pay for an educational trip to St Paul's Cathedral (or similar)?

No

OP posts:
mumyes · 02/02/2023 16:07

This reply has been deleted

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BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 02/02/2023 16:08

mumyes · 02/02/2023 16:06

This should not be charged IMO, it's not the same as a friend adult admiring the architecture

Show quote history

Rather than give your opinion on whether it should be charged, why not look and see if there is a charge. It'll be on their website if there is.

GrumpyPanda · 02/02/2023 16:08

DontTouchMePlease · 02/02/2023 15:56

Our local cathedral is pay on entry, York minster, Gloucester Cathedral etc etc…you have to pay to enter and look around all of them these days.
Why do you think the Mosque should be free for a educational tour?

Those are architectural monuments that cost a shitload to maintain and are major tourist attractions to the point of having a downright obnoxious crowd during visiting hours (and yet you can still get into say York minster for free if you attend for Evensong, when the atmosphere is magical.) I daresay OP wouldn't object for paying for admission to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul! In contrast this visit is an educational trip to some plain-vanilla institution designed to foster interfaith understanding. Very odd indeed to be charging.

Iam4eels · 02/02/2023 16:09

How is it a PR advert for the mosque!? It's part of s child's iverall education to learn about other cultures, beliefs, faiths, backgrounds, etc. and as part of that they tend to go on trips to mosques, churches, synagogues and so on to supplement their learning.

The mosque needs to pay for someone to be there to show them around, for heating, lighting, water, DBS checks, public liability insurance, and so on. The school is taking up their time and using their facilities and some organisations charge a fee for this in exactly the same way a museum or an art gallery might charge.

As for the person suggesting it's a scam - your bigotry is showing.