Supermarket staff wearing a keffiyeh

[Alpaccas]

I saw a member of staff wearing a keffiyeh today in Sainsbury’s. Do you think it’s a bit too political for a member of staff to be wearing, whilst wearing their work uniform?

I'd say do as the French do. Ban the lot from schools and places of employment. I don't need to have someone's religion waved in my face.

I genuinely wouldn't care, although expecting an Eid celebration in a UK state school is a bit optimistic.

So how far would you take this line of thought? A t shirt with a swastika? A kkk hood? Would you think those are acceptable?

I would be uncomfortable with both of those. BUT I wouldn't intervene if someone was wearing them. I've seen people with swastika tattoos.

@MiserableMrsMopp the key part is this is a work place with a uniform.

It's not anything goes wrt expression.

And you really must stop conflating religious symbols/dress with political statements. They are two totally different things.

I have absolutely no issue at all with being served by a lady wearing a hijab for example..that's her religion. But a pro Palestinian badge would make me feel deeply uncomfortable.

We wore them in the 1990s (are we talking about the black and white scarves?)

If someone can go to work wearing a cross on a necklace, or a hijab (cultural NOT a Islamic requirement) they can wear a keffiyeh.

As @YourAmplePlumPoster said,

I'd say do as the French do. Ban the lot from schools and places of employment. I don't need to have someone's religion waved in my face.

It's all or nothing. If you want to wear your cross, I can wear my keffiyeh.

Literally this! If you haven’t woken up by now, please carry on snoring!

You’re quite wrong actually. My children’s school have a big Eid celebration. So it’s actually not optimism my dear, it’s called reality

Not at all unlikely.

Well, I've worked in 8 state schools at this point and at no point has there been an Eid celebration. Nothing other than a Christmas concert and maybe making Easter cards (at primary level).

I think you can stand down on fears of Islam taking over.

Rare reality however. UNLESS possibly the school has a big Muslim cohort (I interviewed at a school which was 90% Muslim once - probably would have a celebration there).

I have no such fears. Some schools are more multi cultural than yours and many schools learn about a variety of religious festivals.

Yes! And happily so. I'd welcome it. But most schools ARE mono cultural sadly.

It's Lent

I agree with this. We moved from a large UK city to a small village and were concerned that DS wasn't getting a true representation of British society there - it was literally just white kids in all year groups and pretty much all of the other local primaries are the same. The local High school might have a handful of non white-Brit kids at best.

He is now at a boys grammar and it is VERY mixed. White Brits are in the minority. They seem to do it really well with everyone openly discussing their heritage and culture to the point that for the first time DS is being asked about his heritage, which I don't think he's ever even thought about. Kids are genuinely interested in him being English/Irish and commenting on his slightly red hair etc, but in a really positive/accepting/genuinely interested way. He's already picked up some words in Korean, was surprised that I didn't realise someone was Sri Lankan from their name and has asked me to look up certain recipes etc.

The school is VERY open and clear about their zero tolerance of racism but they do it by not shying away from conversations.

It's a really positive environment and I'm so glad he got in there.

WTF has lent got to do with a keffiyeh, which was the actual point of this post?

Well that's interesting because if he wasn't white and red headed with an Irish heritage but Korean or African or Sri Lankan, then white kids commenting on his appearance and showing an interest in his ethnicity/colouring, even if done in a genuinely interested and accepting way, would still be considered the very definition of unintentional/inherent racism, or a racist micro-aggression by many and it would be handled as such by some schools if a complaint were made.

If someone can go to work wearing a cross on a necklace, or a hijab (cultural NOT an Islamic requirement) they can wear a keffiyeh

You might want that but Sainsbury's get to say and they allow a few things, not all.

No it wouldn't if the school encouraged people to talk about their individual cultures. Many years ago that was done at my son's school, everyone enjoyed it and were interested. After those sessions they all carried on with life as normal but had a better understanding and that sort of thing stays with you for life.

I don't think so, if their place of work is fine with it then it's nobody else's business what anyone wears

I would agree that a whole-school Eid celebration is unlikely in most UK state schools, even very culturally diverse schools. People will say 'Happy Eid' and students will chat to the class about celebrations at home. It's an RE topic, not a celebration. Same with Diwali and Passover, for example.

None of the schools I have worked in had an actual celebration for Eid.

I have no idea whether this is total bullshit - I would be surprised if someone was allowed to adapt their work uniform in this way.

Assuming it is an actual thing, if it is cultural, the manager may turn a blind eye. If it is political, they may ignore it (because the best response to being told that someone is wearing something to show support for the Palestinians is a bland “Oh”).

@AthWat where did I say anyone was fair game?? What I said was it is war and any death is terrible. The 50,000 deaths have been debunked. Hamas used the 50,000 as a guess including people who died from cancer or old age. Hamas have admitted that themselves. I see you are questioning my beliefs the exact question I have been asked at work, making me as a Jewish feel like I am personally responsible for what the Israeli government do. I was born here I am a British Jew I want peace I want the hostages returned. Why don’t you ask yourself why you feel the need to question what I think? Why are you holding me responsible? It’s not the gotcha moment you think it is.

The wearing of the scarf is encouraging more hate, the weekly marches need to stop, the hate towards Jews in Britain needs to stop. If it was your children being murdered and paraded I am 100% sure you would agree with me.