School Children Banned From Watching Rare Celestial Event 'for Cultural And Religious Reasons'

[mushroom25]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/school-children-banned-from-watching-the-solar-eclipse-for-cultural-and-religious-reasons-10122964.html

can ANYONE explain this satisfactorily?

[whirlyhurly]

Perhaps they thought the children would be swayed by Druids, who seem to have an eclipse "ceremony" of sorts.

[DaisyNonna]

What are schools now teaching children?
Not to accept and enjoy the world around us or be curious as to how it all works?
To be frightened of asking questions and wanting to know how other people live and believe?
To be scared of new ideas?
Not to question anything not laid down by a particular religion?
To accept that religious teaching is always morally right?
Not to think for themselves?
Thank (insert your own word) that I am no longer teaching.

[Svejk]

^ 'my lucky stars' miss.

[keyplus90]

Eddie is right, Southall has majority Indian people (Hindu and Sikh). As for the eclipse, there is nothing in Islam apart from none obligatory prayer. However Hindu religion believes more into these kinds of things. However may be the sole reason was that teachers did not want children to be looking at it and damaging their eye sight. I live in Hounslow only a few miles away from Southall and the school where my children go has very well mixed kind of children when it comes to race or religion but even we were told that they were planning to keep children inside so that they could not see it to avoid any eye sight damage but instead will show children a documentary about solar eclipse.

[DaisyNonna]

Damaging eyesight? Why not say that instead of citing cultural and religious reasons?

[keyplus90]

Why don't you phone on Monday morning and ask the head?

[askyourgran]

So we have no advance from the middle ages for the young children of today living in Britain.

[naomi24]

Daisy, because it wasn't out of concern for the children's well-being as Keyplus claims - it was for cultural and religious reasons as the headmaster said. I wonder if pulling the wool over someone's eyes is healthy?

[Jackdaw33]

//I wonder if pulling the wool over someone's eyes is healthy?//

If you are staring directly at the sun at its meridian I would say Yes.

[Zacs-Master]

LOL^^^

[naomi24]

But these children weren't.

[Zacs-Master]

Ah, cmon N. It's friday. Have a laugh. Jeez.

[naomi24]

Haha. Better?

[Zacs-Master]

Could do better. ;-)

[askyourgran]

lol^^^

[naomi24]

Hahaha! Good enough?

[Zacs-Master]

Now your just trying too hard.

[naomi24]

No pleasing some. ;o)

[jim360]

This is exactly the sort of intellectual cut-and-thrust I've come to expect from News threads...

[naomi24]

Jim, apparently News doesn't do serious on Fridays - news to me - but consider your knees well and truly smacked! :o)