School Bans Fasting Pupils

[mushroom25]

sorry only daily mail covering this at present:-

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3120407/Primary-schools-ban-Muslim-pupils-fasting-Ramadan-one-saying-health-risk-young-children.html

the article includes a facsimile of the letter sent to parents on this matter, and it seems to have been handled sensitively.

nevertheless, is it any business of the school how its community chooses to express their faith?

[ummmm]

It is their business if they risk having children fainting while in their care.

[ToraToraTora]

I'm the last one to side with the loonies on anything but surely if the kids don't want to eat they can't force feed them. Some kids don't eat anyway and it's not a religious issue. So I can't see what they are proposing?

[mushroom25]

TTT, they don't intend to force feed them; they intend to exclude them.

[ummmm]

And I don't blame them. Let the parents look after hungry and thirsty children.

[ToraToraTora]

Of course it doesn't help that they use the Hijri caleddar which is based on the moon, so it's 11 days shorter each year so in latitudes like ours it will at somepoint cover mid summer, like now, so very little night time! Still they know best, gawd knows what they do in Lapland!

[Svejk]

I completely agree with both of Ummmm's points.

[ToraToraTora]

yes mushroom, how? they turn up and don't eat lunch, right off home you go! do they expect them to declare they are fasting? What about non muslims who just don't eat lunch? How do they know they are fasting? are they going to watch each child and make sure they eat? I cannot see how they are going to implement this.

[ummmm]

TTT...It will be noticed. They have to queue for food. It'll be easy to see which ones are not eating.

[ummmm]

Remember....this primary school.

[mikey4444]

I am given to understand by Muslim acquaintances, that fasting is not normally followed by young children. In fact, people I have spoken to have told me that it is frowned upon by most parents. So perhaps the parents of these few children should explain why they think it necessary for such children to go without food and drink for such extended periods.

Again, as I understand fasting Muslims are not even allowed to drink any water !

[sandyRoe]

Are primary school children obliged to fast?

[sherrardk]

According to this - http://islamqa.info/en/65558 they should start fasting from the age of 10. Why anyone would want to inflict a hungry child on others is a mystery to me, fasting teenagers are stroppy enough.

[mikey4444]

Sandy....I understand, they are not.

I think this is a mountain made out of a molehill. I refuse to believe there are huge numbers of children forced by their parents to not eat or drink from very early in the morning, until late at night.

[New Judge]

The whole idea of fasting especially at this time of year, is ridiculous nonsense.

I believe that Muslims do not insist on their children fasting. However, the school must cater for those that might. At this time of year a child would be required to fast from just after 4:30am. This would mean them having breakfast at about 4am (and thus disturbing their sleep). By the time school ended they would have had no food (or, more importantly, drink) for around twelve hours. This is a dangerous state of affairs, especially in high summer, and the school is right to be concerned.

Yesterday there were reports that a school had confiscated Scotch Eggs from pupils' lunchboxes because they were deemed "unhealthy". This is beyond the school's remit, in my view. But this school is perfectly justified in these concerns. If Muslim adults are daft enough to follow this ridiculous practice that is for them to decide. They should not expect to inflict such stupidity on their children and if they attempt to do so then schools that have to ensure their wellbeing during the day should simply refuse to have them in their care.

[mikey4444]

NJ...agree 100%.

[Peter Pedant]

yes I dont think children should fast
certainly not in our climes

June it would be no food 3 am to 11 pm and heavens know what they expect them to learn whilst they are hypo

[rockyracoon]

I don't know how young kids are supposed to concentrate in school properly if they are not nourished, I'm crawling the walls if I don't eat regularly.

At a time when teachers are on the TV telling how they are feeding hungry kids from poor families, I find the thought of kids fasting quite abhorrent. If anyone else let their kids starve for that amount of time, social services would be knocking on the door.

Well done to the school.

[Peter Pedant]

from the internet

Fasting is not obligatory for young children, until they reach the age of adolescence, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The pens have been lifted from three: from one who has lost his mind until he comes back to his senses, from one who is sleeping until he wakes up, and from a ...

[mikey4444]

This has all the hallmarks of a typical DM article !

[mushroom25]

mikey, are you suggesting that the mail have perhaps forged the letter from the school?