White Kid, Brown Kid

[HappyLollipop]

Did anyone else watch this? I liked that the girls bonded but felt bad for Farhana that her parents kept her on such a short leash only allowing her out for 2 hours at a time! constantly having your family and community constantly watching every step you make must be extremely hard.

It was interesting but sad for same reasons you gave happy. I had a similar upbringing in a Jewish household but back then, without the existence of social media and mobiles I wasn't as aware as Farhana is about what other girls her age can do and the freedoms they have.

I'm watching it now. I'm just a bit confused by it it's like they're so naïve - although I'm not even sure that's the right word. I guess I mean Siobhan seems so niave about other people, people of different religions. Doesn't seem to know anything about it.

I also just don't get this programme....have they not met another muslim person before? They must have done surely. I don't see what the big deal is about meeting another colour skin person and yet this programme is making it into a big deal.

Are they actually ashamed to be seen with white people?
(I mean Farhana said I don't think my dad's friend recognised me thank god)

I read an article in the Mail on Saturday about this and it really whetted my appetite. I was a bit disappointed by the reality. Are people really stupid about other religions?? I also couldn't believe how awkward the girls were with each other for quite while. That made me feel really sad. They didn't feel like two teenage girls who'd grown up in the same country. It was peculiar and sad. I wonder if we need to force interaction between children from the two communities.

They kept saying we need to discuss about maintaining the friendship as it's not realistic with all the obstacles. I don't understand why they can't just not think about it and see where it goes. There's only obstacles if they want there to be - it seemed like both families wanted there to be

How sad that Farhana hadn't been on a bus til 17 and didn't know how to ask for a ticket

I think it was sad really what a sheltered life she had. I think she was really enjoying the shopping trip with Siobhan

I couldn't really understand the ways of thinking in the programme - on both sides really. Is this really what it's like in Dewsbury? Cos it doesn't make me want to live there!

purpleme. I don't think it's shame that drives the not wanting to be seen with a white person but fear of what it might mean. - they will maybe want to hang out with white teens who have way more freedom in terms of clothes, drink, sex etc. On the girls very first shopping trip, Farhana was 2 hours longer than she was told to be and I'm sure to her DM that will have confirmed her fears that Siobhan isn't a good influence :(. Ultimately the fear is the fear of their DC marrying outside of their faith, not following their religion appropriately etc.

My DPs and GPs were similar to Farhanas. Ironically I married a 'good Jewish boy ' and ended up divorced, homeless and traumatised whereas my DBs, one of whom moved to the other end of the country and one overseas, had non-Jewish partners who are really lovely and have happy relationships. It's counter productive to restrict and govern your DCs life to such an extent but it's done out of love and real fear.

You can't force Muslims and non Muslims to mix, only encourage it. But if you aren't allowed play dates, parties, sleepovers, outings then while good friendships are often made, they stay firmly within the school gates. I'd love it to be different.

You can't force Muslims and non Muslims to mix, only encourage it. But if you aren't allowed play dates, parties, sleepovers, outings then while good friendships are often made, they stay firmly within the school gates. I'd love it to be different.

The strongest driver of segregation in my area (not Dewsbury) is that so many of the state schools (primary and secondary) are faith schools. It means that the "secular" schools are also effectively monofaith, as they are the only local schools the Muslim kids are admitted, so they tend to accumulate there just as the faith schools are 100% Catholic, or majority-Christian, or whatever.

It's a recipe for trouble further on. All state schools should have to admit any kid whatever the faith of their parents, then we wouldn't get this religious apartheid.

Totally agree about faith schools. They make segregation almost impossible to break down and increases harmful stereotypes because the kids on both sides of the divide have no contact with one another. If you want to give your DC a religious education it should be done after school or at the weekend imo. But saying that I went to a CofE primary and a regular comprehensive but wasn't allowed friends out of school hours. We saw our GPS and our cousins only. So there are always ways to keep children apart if you set your mind to it :(.

I want my little girl to see friendships with different people as just a normal every day thing. This makes me worry about not this programme

Is this really what it's like in Dewsbury? Cos it doesn't make me want to live there
I haven't lived there so can't say for definite but I used to sell advertising for shops, estate agents etc in different towns around the country. I could never crack Dewsbury it was always a flat no. One Estate Agent eventually explained to me that in Dewsbury the Muslims shopped in Muslim shops and bought houses from Muslim estate agents. The white people shopped in white shops and bought from white estate agents. He said there was absolutely no points advertising to the 'other side's as it never ever changed and no one ever 'broke the rule'. Very sad if its true.

All of it makes me worry for my little girl. In my school we had white and muslim and jewish it was only a small school but obviously different religions etc in spite of being small. We all just accepted each other and there was never any of this. I don't know if my little girl's school will be the same it's all so different now.