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

[singsinthebath]

here

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

I think the problem is classing everyone who holds a religious belief as one homogenous group. There are people out there professing to be practising their religion with opposing views to others practicing the same religion. Religion is culturally influenced and as such there will be variations. Riven, my muslim friend will not send her children to Beavers even though she lives around the corner and my ds goes and is her ds's friend. She feels it is too closely linked to the church (this one isn't at all).

Agree with the above, FSD I prob would not let dd/ds attend a group where they were praying at the end, whereas Riven does and we are both muslim

My experience with the trips things is more from an organisational pov, i have been involved in many trips for school children to places of worship, taking muslims to synagogues, athesists to gudwaras the whole lot with no issues ever mentioned at all. Maybe as where will live is SE and not a huge distance fron london and so is very multicultural its different? I am saddened so many people have encountered intolerant attituides.

It confirms my opinion of the Mail-it isn't a story that should even get in the newspaper and has been blown out of all proportion, probably because the mother wanted her 'moment of fame'.
They were merely going to visit the building and asked to cover their head as a sign of respect. If you went to a church in Rome you would be expected to cover your shoulders and legs. All DCs should visit to get an idea of faiths-no one was asking them to participate! Of course muslim children get taken on church visits-I have taken them on them. Muslim children also go to Christian schools and go to assemblies unless their parents withdraw them (something they have the right to do). RE is compulsary in schools, unless the DC had been withdrawn. It looks in this case as if the DD had always been part of RE lessons.
The mother is setting a very poor example to her DC-you would think that she would pleased that she had the opportunity- and showing respect for other people is a good thing.It wasn't intended to convert!

I agree with you Riven - you can pray to 'your' God - he's the same one up there ins't he? I don't think my ds has a prayer at the end of Beavers - they just run out like hyperactive whirlwinds.

(Not saying it is at all Riven, apologises if it appeared i was judging you for it, i was just trying to highlight a legitimate difference of opinion i was going to say i dont suppose that there is an islamic scouts in bristol but to my surprise it appears there is)

If we want a multicultural society, and I can't see that anyone would think it a bad thing,we need understanding and tolerance. One of the best ways is to introduce DCs to other faiths. No one is saying that they have to partake-merely show respect.

what do they do at beavers btw? i was a brownie, (and promised to serve the queen )

The Scouts is a Christian organisation and the promise is to serve God and the Queen.
I interview leaders and we always have to ask how they feel about the promise and church parade. The most common answer is that while they are not church goers they have a broad belief in God. I think that other faiths can get around it-it just hasn't come up.

Sorry- I mean it hasn't come up when I have been interviewing-it is something I must ask. I think probably the word 'my' could come before God-but just guessing.

The promise is my God in girl guiding but then (as far as im aware) the dont have seperate branches for other religions i suppose

And i apologise for hijacking the thread with scouts/guides stuff!

Have you seen the mother and the DD? I would have thought their primary concern in life was getting oompah loompah tan lines rather than what to wear on a school trip tbh...

They should get a life!

And agree i dont have a prob with 'God' its when it becomes 'our father' i start to worry as it often goes the way of 'jesus christ' and holy ghost/trinity stuff which isnt apropriate for us.

If schoolchildren can opt out of "acts of worship" then they should also be able to opt out of taking part in other religious activities such as forms of dress. You can still learn about these things without having to do them. Most things learned at school are not by actually doing them, such as not visiting every country you learn about in Geography.

What's the big deal about having to dress in a certain way to visit a Mosque??

'Tis PC gone mad imo...I can remember a trip to an Abbey once...we all had to dress respectful and be quiet and respectful of the monks even though we wanted to piss ourselves laughing at the seriousness of it all...we made it through the trip quite nicely until one of the lads asked the monks about sex at the q&a session after....

The teacher was mortified

"What's the big deal about having to dress in a certain way to visit a Mosque?"

Nothing for many people. But what about those for whom the reasons for the dress code conflicted with their own religion or beliefs?

Its just a short school trip!! Far too much fuss imo...if she went to the Vatican and was told to cover her arms etc and she refused, then this wouldn't even be an article but because its a mosque then everyones getting all het up about it...

Am rather tired of all the Muslim bashing in the press quite frankly

A lot of people on this thread seem to be arguing that because they have worn a headscarf in the 1970s/to meet the pope/in Egypt or whatever and were more than happy to do so, it is acceptable for children to be told they have to wear them on school trips. I don't think other people being forced to do something simply because you are happy to do is really a reasonable guiding principle in a democracy.

I really wish we could replace RE with philosophy in schools. Most people don't even believe in God in this country.

I can't imagine why anyone would want to prevent their DC from having an understanding of other faiths, a visit seems the ideal way (at a very cheap price). If you visit somewhere you fit in with expectations. If I was in Italy I would visit the churches and dress appropriately but it doesn't mean that I would want to be a Roman Catholic. It seems very insular to close off experiences for your DC.