to think this girl should have worn the headscarf in the mosque?

[singsinthebath]

here

Her mother sounds like a lovely tolerant woman (not).

"she kept her at home, citing religious objections - as did as many as ten other families"

So not just her then. Others felt it was appropriate to object.

I would say that asking for her to be excluded from the trip was reasonable and for the school to call it truancy was dishonest.

Btw those saying she was racist have got it wrong again! Muslim isn't a race. Plenty of white/british born muslims about. It's a bit ignorant to lump them together as "muslims is all forriners"

Of course as I have no time for any religion I derive some amusement from the way the various branches fail to get on with each other.

The school didn't handle itBu well. The trip should have been optional. At at the same time, it wouldn't have hurt the girl to dress as requested to show some respect for her hosts had she taken part in the visit.

I wouldn't have been impressed either tbh and if my dd had not wanted to wear a headscarf I would have supported her in that if her reasoning had been more advanced than that of the mother/daughter in this story. That would equally apply to any place she visited where a separate dress code was in place, specifically one that insisted on women and girls doing something that was not required of men and boys. I would also object to school uniforms that insist on girls wearing skirts. Then again, I do come from a long line of stroppy and feminist womenfolk and am quite happy to see my dd continue the family tradition. Quite obviously I would not let my dd get away with comments like 'I don't want to dress like a muslim' but 'I don't want to wear a symbol of oppression and hatred of the female form' would be fine by me - catholic church, orthodox church or mosque alike

YANBU I agree the mother was trying to make a ridiculous point but has ended up showing herself to be a halfwit.I feel sorry for the school who have to deal with parents with this attitude.

I totally agree that all children should be taught about differing religions. I have not read the entire post, but would say this. If the Mother didn't want her daughter to take part in a paid for trip. That's her perogative. She certainly shouldn't have been marked absent.

If the Mother couldn't afford the trip and decided that her daughter wasn't going for dressed up political reasons. Then we are straying into weird territory.

I don't wish to be mean, but I am going to suggest that the woman in question, doesn't go to church at all.

Before you flame me, I wonder on what grounds her church, saying she is Christian would say. Do you suppose that this lady goes to church. I very much doubt it.

YANBU.

Love this:

"'It's like they're putting a gun to your head - either you go to a mosque, or you're marked down as an unauthorised absence on your record - that's it no two ways about it,' the 34-year-old said."

Um... yes. That is what they are doing... and your point is?

that's another dodgy area, MrsCrafty - think it's one of those 'part of the curriculum' trips that ask for a 'voluntary contribution' but if you don't pay, they can't make you stay behind in school either. In fact they're not supposed to imply that you have to pay at all. Don't think the school have played this v well.

It is a glimpse into another religion and culture. When we put a scarf on our heads we aren't just showing some respect of the customs of others. We are also getting a glimpse into what it is like to be a woman who visits that mosque as part of the religion she follows. A glimpse that's all, not a life-damaging experience. The student walks away at the end having had some "education" in how others live. I don't see that as demeaning or somehow a betrayal of her sex at all. Imagine the discussion, and creative work that could come out of that experience.
I am sure that, with a little bit of thought (judaeism?) we can think of circumstances where men might also conform to the customs of another culture, just for a visit.
People in this country are getting over-sensitive to any "muslim" issues, we know that. I'm sure most of these objecting parents didn't think very deeply about why they were going to boycot the trip. They gathered in the playground saying "We ain't 'avin any of that bleedin' muslim crap round our kids".

Fluffyone, but you don't know they thought that. They might have given this deep and prayerful consideration. You're just guessing. Like MrsCrafty thinking that she doesn't go to church. It was a catholic school and 10 sets of parents objected.

If I were religious I wouldn't want anything to do with the trappings of false religions. I'm pretty sure that was what got Moses so upset.

And how can the school say it is truancy. That's a pretty serious thing to say these days since not sending your kids to school has landed some people in prison.

"In order to meet the cost of the day a voluntary contribution of £3 is required".

Have they changed the meaning of voluntary when I wasn't looking?

Hang on, if it's a visit tho its hardly entering into the trappings of a false faith, I happily go into churches, synagogues, gurdwaras, and mandirs to look around and learn how various faiths practice their religion its really interesting. I dont feel it invalidates my own faith or that I'm entering into a state of apostasy by learning a little of how others practice their faiths.

Perhaps its just me.

I've never been to a pagan place of worship tho...

I wonder what is the point of a permission slip, if they then won't let you wothold permission?

Our primary school had a trip to a mosque last year which caused endless problems!
the children were told initially that girls must wear trousers and headscarves.After much objection they decided that summer dresses with cardigans, knee socks and a baseball hat would do.
Still many people refused to let their children go.

oldandgrey I think that is a problem. Surely it should be a trip to learn how other people are practising a religion. It would be better and more beneficial to have children go to a working mosque - section a piece off on a friday so they can see people praying NOT to pray themselves but just see how it works. It shouldn't really be (especially to school children) this is what you have to wear blah blah blah, what people wear is part of the religion not what it is based on, and making a big fuss over it defeats the purpose, as it makes dress codes the talking point and a barricade people can't see over.

It really wouldn't have hurt her to stick a scarf over her head as she walked into the mosque. I think all parties were at fault here. But the mum's cheshire cat grinning face plastered over the dm over this is plain unnecessary.

We watched the prayers when we went. The children were respectful and well mannered and I felt that that was appreciated. The Muslim faith was explained but at no point did I feel that anyone was being made to act like they were Muslim, just to respect the views of those who were... which is quite right.

Hey Riv, Mumoverseas has started a thread looking for you re. some tickets or something.

I dont know, this country seems overly tolerant for other faiths but seems to attack our home faith. The fact that teachers and students are told not to wear the cross but we allow other faiths to wear whatever they please seems highly unfair.

She shouldnt HAVE to attend. As FranSanDisco has stated above just goes to reinforce my point, other faiths get away with it.

Good luck to her if she goes visiting Catholic churches in Italy. They have dress codes too.

Stupid woman is raising her child not to respect others.

you can't even get in our Tesco without adhering to a dress code, what about black tie dinners, formal academic do's, works uniforms - dress codes are all around us

the mother is cleary mad