I am really meant to be completing a case file on a student appeal but keep
being lured by more interesting emails.
As always views depend to some extent on where we are coming from. I am an
agnostic/ atheist (never sure which) from a Christian background but one
that was not particularly oppressive. I do have sympathy for the tradition
of anti-clericalism which to a large extent was a fight for equality by
those who did not believe in Christianity at a time when access to various
positions of authority and good social standing depended on a public
acceptance of Christianity. Leading from that the tradition of state schools
and other public institutions not requiring or promoting Christian belief is
a sound one. However, I think there is an important distinction between the
institution not requiring or promoting a belief and a degree of tolerance
towards students who wish to make a statement about their religious belief,
especially when that is required by their religion. As always I think there
should be a pragmatic approach to boundaries. Wearing a particular item of
clothing or occasional absence for relgious purposes should not pose a
problem for anyone, aggressive prosleytising by students or excessive
requests for absence is a different matter because it has a major damaging
effect on others or the institution.
The trouble with the contemporary French anti-clerical approach is that it
takes a firm stance which is no longer really necessary in terms of the
power of Christianity in western society and applies it to other religions
such as Islam in ways which can easily be seen as racist given the current
attitudes in western society towards particular ethnic and religious
minorities.
Back to the appeal.
Geoff
*************************************
Geoff Smith
Assistant Secretary
University Secretariat
Room 5517
5th Floor Surrey Building
City Campus
Tel: 3854
Fax: 3498
University Secretariat Web Page: http://staff.shu.ac.uk/UNISEC
-----Original Message-----
From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Richard Price
Sent: 11 December 2003 12:25
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Gideon Bibles
> However what is at stake, for Muslim women and especially in France,
> is the requirement to cover the head if they are to observe their own
> faith; and if one accepts the right to believe, doesn't this follow?
> (What about male observant Jews in French schools by the way?).
The news this morning (R4's Today, I blearily remember) suggested that the
French governmnet was heading in exactly that direction and would be likely
to insist that observant Jewish males not be permitted to wear their caps.
>
> Isn't the only proper approach to keep the curriculum and practice of
> state schools totally secular but not to bar pupils from doing
> whatever they have to do as individuals to observe their faith? But
> where do we draw the line? I couldn't countenance female
> circumcision; and Taliban-style observance is somewhere on the
> continuum between that and the girls' headscarves.
Where indeed! Should particular religions be permitted to withdraw children
throughout the day's teaching to carry out their observances (say for
regular prayers)? Should schools be expected to permit shrines to be set up
to a variety of different deities on their premises?
>
> By the way, my great-grandfather's many children were withdrawn from
> religious education back in the 1890s: 'Stand up all those children
> whose father doesnt't believe in God' and they all trooped out of the
> morning assembly, duly humiliated.
I come from a Welsh Calvinistic Baptist background and am very familiar with
these sort of attitudes.It's precisely this type of bigotry and humiliation
that should be expunged from all schooling by not permitting religion (of
any kind whatsoever) a presence. Good for your great grand-dad! (and I wish
I could have thus got out of the endless tedium of daily Christian
observance at my schools).
Richard.
Richard Price,Staff Welfare Officer.
Mantell 1A18, University of Sussex, Falmer,Brighton. BN1 9QN Tel.
01273-877712; Internal 7712 [log in to unmask]
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