mosques
http://www.ellesmereportpioneer.co.uk/ellesmere-port-news/local-ellesmere-port-news/2010/04/28/ellesmere-port-mother-s-anger-after-daughter-told-trip-to-mosque-is-compulsory-55940-26329048/ Ellesmere Port mother’s anger after daughter told trip to mosque is ‘compulsory’
Apr 28 2010 by Selena O'Donnell, Ellesmere Port Pioneer
A MOTHER is keeping her daughter off school after refusing to give her permission to take part in a trip to a Liverpool mosque.
Michelle Davis, of Bodiam Court, Ellesmere Port, claims she was left with no choice but to keep 14-year-old daughter Amy Owen at home after Ellesmere Port Catholic High School’s headteacher Peter Lee tried to encourage the pupil into participating.
Miss Davies said: “I objected to Amy being made to dress like a Muslim girl, the original letter from the school gave a dress code for the visit, including long skirts, leggings or tights and covering up her head.
“She's been brought up in the Catholic faith and religion. Amy is not a Muslim and shouldn’t be told to dress like one.”
Miss Davies handed in a letter setting out reasons why she wouldn't be attending and the school asked if it was a problem with payment.
She said: “I asked them not to patronise me, it's £3 to cover the cost of the bus.”
Despite requesting that any further communication about the proposed Year 9 trip, part of the students’ religious education class, be conducted strictly between her and Mr Lee, Miss Davies was upset to hear that Amy had been pulled out of her lessons and told the mosque excursion was ‘compulsory’.
Miss Davies, who knows a number of other parents who have refused permission, also received a letter from Mr Lee, further insisting that Amy attend.
She said: “At the end of the letter, underlined, it says: ‘I must require your child to participate in this trip’.
“This is an infringement of her human rights.”
In a written statement, Mr Lee refused to comment on the compulsory nature of the trip, but did say: “In keeping with accepted good practice and the school’s status as a humanities college we are pleased to provide students with an experience of a visit to a mosque and the chance to talk to and question a representative of the community which it serves.”
Miss Davies added: “I'm all for her being educated in all areas of religion but she's not Muslim and she shouldn't have to dress like one.
“I can guarantee that if there were ten Muslim girls coming to our school it would adhere to what they wanted, because that's their faith, their religion, their dress code.
Topic: Catholic School in U.K. attempts to force girls to dress like muzzies and visit (Read 1040 times)