Michaela School - court case

Author
Discussion

lord trumpton

Original Poster:

7,406 posts

126 months

Tuesday 16th April
quotequote all
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68731...

"A Muslim student at a London school has lost a High Court challenge against its ban on prayer rituals.

Michaela School in Wembley was taken to court by the girl over the policy, which she argued was discriminatory..."

The school is a non faith school and has defended its ban on no prayer time during school hours.

Thoughts?

For me it's the right decision


MikeHo

1,254 posts

266 months

Tuesday 16th April
quotequote all
Spot on.

Religion has no place in schools anyway.

Mr Penguin

1,192 posts

39 months

Tuesday 16th April
quotequote all
I don't see the problem. Why did they ban it?

lord trumpton

Original Poster:

7,406 posts

126 months

Tuesday 16th April
quotequote all
cos thems the rules


Killer2005

19,651 posts

228 months

Tuesday 16th April
quotequote all
Mr Penguin said:
I don't see the problem. Why did they ban it?
It's a completely secular school as the head teacher noted that different religions created intolerance and segregation so all religious ceremonies were not allowed. They could practice them in their own time and place but there would be no formal area for them.

This worked very well until some particular individuals became involved which lead to the court case.

turbobloke

103,974 posts

260 months

Tuesday 16th April
quotequote all
There are schools which have areas for prayer, and schools that don't - including some secular schools such as Michaela.

The mother isn't withdrawing her daughter from the school after the ruling, according to the article.

Headteacher said:
If parents do not like what Michaela is, they do not need to send their children to us.
Nutshell.

Killer2005

19,651 posts

228 months

Tuesday 16th April
quotequote all
Interview with the headteacher here

https://youtu.be/53kcrLyhs-8?si=f25Gv75lqkURPLye

Biggy Stardust

6,911 posts

44 months

Tuesday 16th April
quotequote all
No playing with imaginary friends during school hours- seems reasonable.

pork911

7,158 posts

183 months

Tuesday 16th April
quotequote all
Surprised they managed to coax her to appear in the media.

Anyway, do they also ban the singing of 'i vow to thee my country' and 'jerusalem'.


williamp

19,262 posts

273 months

Tuesday 16th April
quotequote all
Full statement in the speccie, including thus observation

."Can it be right for a family to receive £150,000 of taxpayer-funded legal aid to bring a case like this? The judge is clear that the child’s statements were not written by her alone. Indeed this mum intends to send her second child to Michaela, starting in September. At the same time, this mum has sent a letter to our lawyers suggesting that she may take us to court yet again over another issue at the school she doesn’t like, presumably once again at the taxpayer’s expense..."

Interesting take on religion and legal aid. And that the parent wants to fight from within. Rather than what normal people would do: move to a school which does allow your needs. Its like they hsve an agenda or something, and are using their own children as pawns

Ridgemont

6,583 posts

131 months

Tuesday 16th April
quotequote all
williamp said:
Full statement in the speccie, including thus observation
Its like they hsve an agenda or something, and are using their own children as pawns
Indeed.

And the extraordinary thing is that this consumed literally hundreds of hours legal time across the legal system.

It should have been cut and dried from the word go.

darreni

3,791 posts

270 months

Tuesday 16th April
quotequote all
Madness. WTF is going on that legal aid can be used in this way?

768

13,687 posts

96 months

Tuesday 16th April
quotequote all
williamp said:
Full statement in the speccie, including thus observation

."Can it be right for a family to receive £150,000 of taxpayer-funded legal aid to bring a case like this?

..
fking hell.

hidetheelephants

24,418 posts

193 months

Wednesday 17th April
quotequote all
Legal aid to bankroll vexatious litigation? WTF? Why did this even get in front of a judge, there's no religious discrimination as no religion is pandered to.

Oliver Hardy

2,549 posts

74 months

Wednesday 17th April
quotequote all
williamp said:
Full statement in the speccie, including thus observation

."Can it be right for a family to receive £150,000 of taxpayer-funded legal aid to bring a case like this? The judge is clear that the child’s statements were not written by her alone. Indeed this mum intends to send her second child to Michaela, starting in September. At the same time, this mum has sent a letter to our lawyers suggesting that she may take us to court yet again over another issue at the school she doesn’t like, presumably once again at the taxpayer’s expense..."

Interesting take on religion and legal aid. And that the parent wants to fight from within. Rather than what normal people would do: move to a school which does allow your needs. Its like they hsve an agenda or something, and are using their own children as pawns
Don't they have to pay it back?

I have some sympathy for them. She was already at the school when pray was banned. Unless I got it wrong she and some other pupils took it upon themselves to pray outside. If it is not disrupting classes/study what is wrong with allowing them to pry in school?

Edited by Oliver Hardy on Wednesday 17th April 02:00

Ridgemont

6,583 posts

131 months

Wednesday 17th April
quotequote all
Oliver Hardy said:
williamp said:
Full statement in the speccie, including thus observation

."Can it be right for a family to receive £150,000 of taxpayer-funded legal aid to bring a case like this? The judge is clear that the child’s statements were not written by her alone. Indeed this mum intends to send her second child to Michaela, starting in September. At the same time, this mum has sent a letter to our lawyers suggesting that she may take us to court yet again over another issue at the school she doesn’t like, presumably once again at the taxpayer’s expense..."

Interesting take on religion and legal aid. And that the parent wants to fight from within. Rather than what normal people would do: move to a school which does allow your needs. Its like they hsve an agenda or something, and are using their own children as pawns
Don't they have to pay it back?

I have some sympathy for them. She was already at the school when pry was banned. Unless I got it wrong she and some other pupils took it upon themselves to pry outside. If it is not disrupting classes/study what is wrong with allowing them to pry in school?
There is a good article here:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/jan/16/lo...

The nonsense is nonsense and no if the school says no to prayers than that should be the end of it.

gregs656

10,893 posts

181 months

Wednesday 17th April
quotequote all
We should move to make the country formally secular sooner rather than later.

Rufus Stone

6,233 posts

56 months

Wednesday 17th April
quotequote all
williamp said:
Full statement in the speccie, including thus observation

."Can it be right for a family to receive £150,000 of taxpayer-funded legal aid to bring a case like this? The judge is clear that the child’s statements were not written by her alone. Indeed this mum intends to send her second child to Michaela, starting in September. At the same time, this mum has sent a letter to our lawyers suggesting that she may take us to court yet again over another issue at the school she doesn’t like, presumably once again at the taxpayer’s expense..."

Interesting take on religion and legal aid. And that the parent wants to fight from within. Rather than what normal people would do: move to a school which does allow your needs. Its like they hsve an agenda or something, and are using their own children as pawns
Probably cost the school the same to defend the claim.

lrdisco

1,452 posts

87 months

Wednesday 17th April
quotequote all
Religion has no place is schools or state.
I consider myself left of centre but this kind of thing feels like it is designed to be socially diversive.

g3org3y

20,637 posts

191 months

Wednesday 17th April
quotequote all
Killer2005 said:
Interview with the headteacher here

https://youtu.be/53kcrLyhs-8?si=f25Gv75lqkURPLye
I like Katharine Birbalsingh, seen a couple of her previous TG interviews. Generally speaks sense and is happy to stand up for her principles.