Attend Islam class or be branded racist
Discussion
According to this story at least:
DM said:
School wrote to parents telling them their eight-year-olds had to attend workshop on Islam - or be branded RACIST on their permanent record
Headmistress Lynn Small wrote to parents about multicultural school trip
Children will attend 'Explore Islam' workshop at Staffordshire University
Pupils would receive 'Racial Discrimination note' if they didn't go, she said
Parents at Littleton Green Community School in Huntington complained
Staffordshire County Council stepped in and head had to apologise
THE ORIGINAL LETTER FROM SCHOOL HEAD LYNN SMALL TO PARENTS
Dear Parent/Carer,
As part of the National Religious Education Curriculum together with the multicultural community in which we live, it is a statutory requirement for Primary School aged children to experience and learn about different cultures.
The workshop is at Staffordshire University and will give your child the opportunity to explore other religions.
Children will be looking at religious artefacts similar to those that would be on display in a museum. they will not be partaking in any religious practices.
Refusal to allow your child to attend this trip will result in a Racial Discrimination note being attached to your child’s education record, which will remain on this file throughout their school career.
As such our expectations are that all children in years 4 and 6 attend school on Wednesday 27th November to take part in this trip.
All absences on this day will be investigated for their credibility and will only be sanctioned with a GP sick note.
If you would like to discuss this further please contact our RE Coordinator, Mrs Edmonds
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2511841/Sc...
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
I know it's the DM, but the letter appears genuine. I think the headmistress was trying to be a little too PC for her own good.....Headmistress Lynn Small wrote to parents about multicultural school trip
Children will attend 'Explore Islam' workshop at Staffordshire University
Pupils would receive 'Racial Discrimination note' if they didn't go, she said
Parents at Littleton Green Community School in Huntington complained
Staffordshire County Council stepped in and head had to apologise
THE ORIGINAL LETTER FROM SCHOOL HEAD LYNN SMALL TO PARENTS
Dear Parent/Carer,
As part of the National Religious Education Curriculum together with the multicultural community in which we live, it is a statutory requirement for Primary School aged children to experience and learn about different cultures.
The workshop is at Staffordshire University and will give your child the opportunity to explore other religions.
Children will be looking at religious artefacts similar to those that would be on display in a museum. they will not be partaking in any religious practices.
Refusal to allow your child to attend this trip will result in a Racial Discrimination note being attached to your child’s education record, which will remain on this file throughout their school career.
As such our expectations are that all children in years 4 and 6 attend school on Wednesday 27th November to take part in this trip.
All absences on this day will be investigated for their credibility and will only be sanctioned with a GP sick note.
If you would like to discuss this further please contact our RE Coordinator, Mrs Edmonds
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2511841/Sc...
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
The letter appears genuine. It is repugnant that, in this country, in this day and age, anyone's kids are forced to suck-up any religious claptrap on pain of being branded racist. FFS Islam is not a race anyway.
O/T I know exactly where the school is - it's built on the old Littleton Colliery site - because I sometimes meet friends at the curry house opposite.
O/T I know exactly where the school is - it's built on the old Littleton Colliery site - because I sometimes meet friends at the curry house opposite.
Here's the original story.
http://www.expressandstar.com/education/2013/11/22...
The bit that I found really repugnant was that the letter also asked for money for the trip. Great work there. While it's important to learn about all of the world's faiths (it is why most people in the world do weird stuff after all) this really is not the way to go about it, and if the head really thought threatening parents like this is a good way of educating people then she needs to be sat down for a stern talking to at the very least.
http://www.expressandstar.com/education/2013/11/22...
The bit that I found really repugnant was that the letter also asked for money for the trip. Great work there. While it's important to learn about all of the world's faiths (it is why most people in the world do weird stuff after all) this really is not the way to go about it, and if the head really thought threatening parents like this is a good way of educating people then she needs to be sat down for a stern talking to at the very least.
Having now reached an age where a certain level of understanding has been reached, if I had my time again I would do everything in my power to stop my kids being force fed ANY religious education at school.
Fortunately, my two have grown to see it for what it is, along with most mass indoctrinations, but there are clearly millions who do fall for it.
This stinks. No wonder our teachers are losing any respect they may have once had.
Fortunately, my two have grown to see it for what it is, along with most mass indoctrinations, but there are clearly millions who do fall for it.
This stinks. No wonder our teachers are losing any respect they may have once had.
"it is a statutory requirement for Primary School aged children to experience and learn about different cultures."
Wonder if kids are also taught about the bad bits of 'different cultures' as well as the good? To ignore the former is like teaching WW2 in history but whitewashing all the bad/evil bits.
Wonder if kids are also taught about the bad bits of 'different cultures' as well as the good? To ignore the former is like teaching WW2 in history but whitewashing all the bad/evil bits.
k has Blair done to this country!?Soooo,
They are just looking at some Islamic religious artefacts, I'm not seeing the big deal here?
As it says in the letter they wont be doing any practising of this religion...and I bet my arse that the kids who go to this wont have been near a sunday service at their local church since they were christened either so they wont be exactly religious anyway.
I do hope that they also get to see the same sort of things from all the other religions so that they may become enlightened and grow up to be less ignorant of others than some of the "grown ups" around nowadays.
A visit to a church service, or a synagogue, or a buddhist temple etc...
They are just looking at some Islamic religious artefacts, I'm not seeing the big deal here?
As it says in the letter they wont be doing any practising of this religion...and I bet my arse that the kids who go to this wont have been near a sunday service at their local church since they were christened either so they wont be exactly religious anyway.
I do hope that they also get to see the same sort of things from all the other religions so that they may become enlightened and grow up to be less ignorant of others than some of the "grown ups" around nowadays.
A visit to a church service, or a synagogue, or a buddhist temple etc...
A letter from the headteacher Lynn Small (pic below) to parents sent last night apologised for ‘any inaccuracies’ in her previous correspondence.
She asked parents to ‘on reflection’ disregard a section of the earlier letter.
And she confirmed that pupils did not have to take part in the visit and that no racial tag would be attached to their school files.
This country... all you can do now is despair.
When I was a kid MacMillan said we'd never had it so good.
He wasn't bloody joking!
Now we just
Send in the Clowns...
(I suppose you only have to look at her once to realise PC idiot of the highest order)
She asked parents to ‘on reflection’ disregard a section of the earlier letter.
And she confirmed that pupils did not have to take part in the visit and that no racial tag would be attached to their school files.
This country... all you can do now is despair.
When I was a kid MacMillan said we'd never had it so good.
He wasn't bloody joking!
Now we just
Send in the Clowns...
(I suppose you only have to look at her once to realise PC idiot of the highest order)
Why has Islam been picked out? It's not referenced in her letter - indeed her letter simply refers to "different cultures" and "cultural artifacts". Typical DM trying to stir up a bit of racial tension?
If I had kids I wouldn't be against them attending such a thing, but the implied threat of not going would force my hand to act against the Head's wishes.
As an aside I remember Orthodox Jews in our school being exempt from covering the New Testament in our RE lessons. My request for exemption from all RE lessons on the grounds of Agnosticism went without response!
If I had kids I wouldn't be against them attending such a thing, but the implied threat of not going would force my hand to act against the Head's wishes.
As an aside I remember Orthodox Jews in our school being exempt from covering the New Testament in our RE lessons. My request for exemption from all RE lessons on the grounds of Agnosticism went without response!
Swervin_Mervin said:
Why has Islam been picked out? It's not referenced in her letter - indeed her letter simply refers to "different cultures" and "cultural artifacts". Typical DM trying to stir up a bit of racial tension?
If I had kids I wouldn't be against them attending such a thing, but the implied threat of not going would force my hand to act against the Head's wishes.
The DM then has a picture of a text message stating it's an 'Islam workshop'If I had kids I wouldn't be against them attending such a thing, but the implied threat of not going would force my hand to act against the Head's wishes.
Sooo these tags that get attached to their school files. What is the purpose of these?
Little Johnny gets branded racist by right on teacher aged 5.do hs teachers for the rest if his life grade him down because they are right on too?
Did we all know that children had files that could have labels attached to them? Did I miss a memo?
Little Johnny gets branded racist by right on teacher aged 5.do hs teachers for the rest if his life grade him down because they are right on too?
Did we all know that children had files that could have labels attached to them? Did I miss a memo?
hman said:
Soooo,
They are just looking at some Islamic religious artefacts, I'm not seeing the big deal here?
Are you deliberately being obtuse? The problem is not with attending the event, it is the heavy handed nature from the headmistress They are just looking at some Islamic religious artefacts, I'm not seeing the big deal here?
As you later state, it is generally a good idea for kids to learn about other cultures so they grow up with a more rounded view on others who are different. Although I suspect Islam will enjoy a disproportionate spotlight in these events...
Puggit said:
Swervin_Mervin said:
Why has Islam been picked out? It's not referenced in her letter - indeed her letter simply refers to "different cultures" and "cultural artifacts". Typical DM trying to stir up a bit of racial tension?
If I had kids I wouldn't be against them attending such a thing, but the implied threat of not going would force my hand to act against the Head's wishes.
The DM then has a picture of a text message stating it's an 'Islam workshop'If I had kids I wouldn't be against them attending such a thing, but the implied threat of not going would force my hand to act against the Head's wishes.
“This visit is part of that. They would not be taking part in any religious practices. We have had similar workshops on a variety of religions in the past – including one on Islam – with no problems at all and the children have absolutely loved it. We have pupils and teachers at the school who belong to the Islam faith and it is right for the children to understand and appreciate their faith as well as their own.”
Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff