Head has banned alcohol at a fundraiser - your views please!

[beansprout]

The PTA is holding a fundraising concert this week at our primary school. Various children will be doing their stuff from about 5-7pm and as with all PTA events, refreshments will be available as part of the fundraising effort.

We are a community school and a muslim teacher has indicated that if alcohol (wine) is sold, no muslim parents will attend. The head has now said that no alcohol can be sold at the event. The PTA have already bought the wine and can't see the problem and indeed, quite a few people are up in arms about this.

My view is that diversity is all about inclusion rather than exclusion so on that basis, it seems a bit odd. I don't drink at all so have no particular view on whether or not wine should be available at this event.

Could other people give me their views on this, in particular, what to do?!!

Alcohol is completely banned at any events at our school where children are present. The head will let us have alcohol at adults only events if we are trying to raise a significant amount of money for something that she desperately wants but not otherwise. I think it's a rather miserable attitude myself.

The thing is that there was always alcohol available and now some minority has a problem with it, everyone is to be disadvantaged.

Just as a matter of thought, do muslims go shopping at Tesco or do they avoid it because it sells booze ?

Partaking is not compulsory and they should keep their narrow minded ideas to themselves.

I think this teacher is being rather presumptious in speaking for the whole muslim community. There is nothing to say that muslims cannot go anywhere where alcohol is served. They just don't (usually) drink themselves. I also know muslims who do drink alcohol.

Why not serve alcohol when kids are present? better to see alcohol being enjoyed responsibley than sudden impact when they get older and go into the big wide world where = guess what - people drink alcohol.

Look at the 'profile' of the person who supports your fundraising events? do the muslims come out in force spending their money? don't pander to a group who might not even be there in any great number.

The ONLY event where alcohol is not served/sold at my dc's school is the induction meeting for the new parents!!!!! All other quizzes, cookery demos, fetes etc... you buy boxes of wine and sell them for 4euor and that's where you make your money. kerching. it's a business decision. WHo's in CHARGE!?

sell glasses of wine, not the whole box I mean

I have wondered about this. Our PTA frequently sells wine etc at events (even holds committee meetings down the pub sometimes), and there is a big muslim population at the school, and low involvement by the muslim parents in the PTA . I had wondered if they were uncomfortable.

(I also wonder how they feel about the amount of christian worship that goes on at the school - a non church affiliated primary - but that's another issue!)

I have sounded out a couple of muslim friends about this and it doesn't seem to be an issue for them. But I still wonder if it is insensitive. I think to be honest though it's more to do with the fact that the PTA does seem to be the preserve of a certain group of confident, educated middle-class mums, and others - not just muslims - can easily feel excluded...

Cheers!