Protests outside a Batley School

[SWP's back]

Sorry I missed my 'attack' - please let me know where it was and I'll try to be less aggressive in future.

You’re labelling the teacher as fucking stupid and lacking in common sense. Seems like you’re attacking him to me.

 

[oldius]

Depends what they’ve been taught. My wife has taught primary level at “international” schools in Qatar for seven years. Each year around the same time some of her Islamic children will gift her with Korans as it’s at that age (6 turning 7) that they’re taught that Christians “burn in the fire” as they aren’t Muslim (this is in their separate Islamic lessons taught by Arabic teachers). As they often like her, they always want to stop that from happening.

It actually breaks her heart they’re thinking along those lines at that age.

Good on your wife and the children who want to protect others. What a shame that some teach religion in that way.

 

[inchy14]

Many, many Muslims are not part of this issue and would be disappointed at the actions of those protesting.

We are all the things you say but, in my opinion, we should be sensitive. That is not un-British. I have taught Islam many times and I have always avoided showing sensitive images but I have discussed the issue, of course, because children are inquisitive and will ask, "What does he look like?" Or, "Are there any pictures?". I have always said that within Islam, that person is considered so powerful and so important that pictures showing images are considered offensive. We have then moved on to other features of the religion or aspects of the mosque. Granted, I teach primary age children.

I deplore any kind of retribution or threat but I cannot condone what the teacher did as I feel it was insensitive.

If showing a picture, that no one even knows if it’s what ‘he’ looked like, is insensitive then im sorry those people need to take a long hard look at the religion they follow. It’s fucking pathetic that in this country someone’s life is being threatened over showing an image. It’s no wonder most think religion shouldn’t be taught in schools any longer.
It’s fucking 2021 not the bastard Middle Ages!!

 

[oldius]

If showing a picture, that no one even knows if it’s what ‘he’ looked like, is insensitive then im sorry those people need to take a long hard look at the religion they follow. It’s fucking pathetic that in this country someone’s life is being threatened over showing an image. It’s no wonder most think religion shouldn’t be taught in schools any longer.
It’s fucking 2021 not the bastard Middle Ages!!

My point is that the teacher should have known it was insensitive and should not have shown it. Arguments against religion or the teaching of religion are a separate issue.

 

[inchy14]

Depends what they’ve been taught. My wife has taught primary level at “international” schools in Qatar for seven years. Each year around the same time some of her Islamic children will gift her with Korans as it’s at that age (6 turning 7) that they’re taught that Christians “burn in the fire” as they aren’t Muslim (this is in their separate Islamic lessons taught by Arabic teachers). As they often like her, they always want to stop that from happening.

It actually breaks her heart they’re thinking along those lines at that age.

It’s a fucking disgrace and basically shows up religion for what it is. I find amazing that those people who are the most religious seem to have the least tolerance for those who either differ on religion or don’t follow at all. Amazingly those without religion seem to be the ‘most religious’....

 

[SWP's back]

Good on your wife and the children who want to protect others. What a shame that some teach religion in that way.

It’s the country we live in. It’s been the same at both schools she’s taught in and one of the reasons we’re about done now.

A teacher was fired last year as they were teaching countries and flags and she hadn’t redacted a flag of Israel from a photocopy that was used as a work sheet (there were over 50 flags on the page and the questions didn’t ask about that flag and they follow the British curriculum). One parent picked up on it, posted on Facebook and within days there were several complaints and she was invited to go back to Ireland because of it.

 

[inchy14]

My point is that the teacher should have known it was insensitive and should not have shown it. Arguments against religion or the teaching of religion are a separate issue.

Why? No one even knows if it looked like him anyway!! And this is the U.K. not some Middle Eastern country.

 

[inchy14]

It’s the country we live in. It’s been the same at both schools she’s taught in and one of the reasons we’re about done now.

A teacher was fired last year as they were teaching countries and flags and she hadn’t redacted a flag of Israel from a photocopy that was used as a work sheet (there were over 50 flags on the page and the questions didn’t ask about that flag). One parent picked up on it, posted on Facebook and within days there were several complaints and she was invited to go back to Ireland because of it.

Mental but unfortunately not surprising, as I say above the most religious end up the least tolerant.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

Absolutely seriously. I do not in any way condone reprisals and nor do I think that a teacher's career should end because of a mistake, but teachers (and I am one) have to be aware of religious sensitivities. One of the basic tenets of Islam is that depictions of Allah and the Prophet are forbidden, even in the mosque. The tiniest amount of research would reveal that and would have avoided this incident before it began.

There are plenty of 'basic tenets of Islam' (which often turn out to actually be heavily debated amongst people who aren't fundie nutcases) that would necessarily be shunned in order to run a proper religious education syllabus though. It's not uncommon, for example, for Islamic countries to interpret any education about religions other than Islam as an attempt to convert Muslims to said religion, which is expressly forbidden in Islam. I'd be willing to bet that most of these protesters adhere to this view too. Should we therefore ban the teaching about religions other than Islam to kids of a Muslim background? I'm sure what the answer of the rent-a-mob would be, just like they don't want them to be taught about people being gay in case it turns them gay, or worse, into non-homophobes.

 

[Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese]

You’re labelling the teacher as fucking stupid and lacking in common sense. Seems like you’re attacking him to me.

No far from it. I just think he's fucking stupid and lacking common sense - same as I would be if I popped over to anfield and hung my justice for heysel t-shirt on the front gates at the end of next month. I'd be raising a valid issue and not harming anyone or breaking laws, but I'd be lucky to get away in one piece as it would be fucking stupid and lacking common sense.