really tucker what is the politically correct view on genital mutilation out of interest?

The PC is view is it’s only mutilation on girls, on boys it’s ‘circumcision’ which is fine, because to say otherwise would be ‘racist’ against believers of Abrahamic faiths.

The HMG (Higher Moral Ground) is of course that genital mutilation of legally unable to consent children is abhorrent regardless of their sex. If they want to chop bits off their genitals when they are old enough to consent, good for them, the debate is not about the ‘benefits of circumcision’.

Not sure that is just the PC view you have said there tbh but I would like to politely withdraw from debating this with you on this thread and lets leave the thread be.

To be clear I tend to agree with you on the issue in general but you state it in too extreme a manner.

Not sure that is just the PC view you have said there tbh but I would like to politely withdraw from debating this with you on this thread and lets leave the thread be.

To be clear I tend to agree with you on the issue in general but you state it in too extreme a manner

Thumbs up smiley were one available.

Since when is Islam (or Sikhism, Hinduism, Christianity) a race?

Being British (or Indian or Pakistani or French) is a race.

I once spoke to a Muslim bloke who had just been taking his wife & kids to see Father Christmas. I asked if they thought Father Christmas was OK with them – he reckoned if he was a nice man with a big beard he was probably a Muslim too!

Oh, and it’s a spoof letter , surely.

I’d be apoplectic if I received a threat like that. There would be a very loud conversation with the head teacher.

wrecker – Member 
I’d be apoplectic if I received a threat like that. There would be a very loud conversation with the head teacher.

…and ask her to have a stern word with whoever was responsible for such rubbish!!!!

I am all for trips to museums etc but I wonder what/how much multicutltural awareness will be taught by looking at artefacts. For the subject in hand, they must be more interesting options…..

The Daily Mail already have it

as do a few other papers which don’t get “blocked” on here:
http://swns.com/news/schoolchildren-told-punished-racism-attend-religious-workshop-islam-40466/
http://www.expressandstar.com/education/2013/11/22/school-at-centre-of-religion-row/ especially loving the classic local paper “people looking grumpy” picture in that which also makes it into:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/10468353/School-children-as-young-as-8-told-they-would-be-labelled-racist-for-missing-school-trip.html

My wife is an RE teacher (as well as being amazing) and she doesn’t believe they can do that.

Apparently parents can withdraw their children from RE entirely if they so wish.

Annoys the hell out of me when schools try to shove religion down the throats of the pupils…

Although, obviously, they aren’t doing that in this case.

It clearly says the children will not be taking part in any religious practices.

But don’t mind that eh.

Oh how I would love babybgoode to come home with a letter like that.

An interesting meeting with the head would follow and they had better have done their homework about under what legal framework they were going to try and tarnish BBG a racist (or me for that matter).

EDIT – From an educational point of view I would encourage BBG to go on such trips but if I got that particular letter I would withhold consent out of principle.

Quick question – as a parent do you not have the right to withdrawn your child from any school trip?

Cheers

Danny B

Ms Small was probably looking forward to sitting down with a slightly chilled Chatdonnay and then all hell breaks loose on the web!!!! I wonder if her beaming smile is as broad now? Leaving aside the silly note, I am starting to feel for her now…. 😉

Read their latest Ofsted report.

Graded INADEQUATE in EVERY category.

According to the news stories I’ve linked they can’t – were forced to back down by the council. Interesting to note that the school has also been in special measures whilst she’s been head – not really doing herself any favours with letters like that!

OMG is gets worse, it will be hemlock not Chardonnay now!!!!

100 childrens parents also told to pay £5.00 for them to go, = £500 quid for 2 buses.

Somebodies obviously not very good at maths either.

And I completely missed the bit about requiring a GP’s note to verify sickness.

Well I would happily bill her the £50 a GP would want for a sick note in such circumstances.

In fact, no I would not. If she would not believe me as a parent as to the health of my child I think I would argue a complete breakdown of trust and would remove my child from the school together.

That actually makes me more angry than the racial discrimination bit to be honest.

Great head they have there – maybe she should move on and head up the Coop bank or something…

Next weeks headlines in the press,

Head teacher quits job, at failing school over lack of ability to write a non threatening leter to childrens parents and carers.

and appears on breakfast tv to tell her story, and becomes an immto keep them amusededite media sensation to people with little in their sad little lives.

…and ask her to have a stern word with whoever was responsible for such rubbish!!!!

So Ms Small isn’t the head?

It’s was a joke! Ok a poor one it turns out! 😉

In fact it merely “Requires improvement” in the latest report
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/files/2188833/urn/124088.pdf

Lol at people wanting to be excused from RE because you think religion is tosh. Just because you think it’s tosh doesn’t make it any less a part of the world about which you need to know.

It would be nice if we could pick and choose out schooling wouldn’t it? Then we wouldn’t have to have our views challenged ever! What a wonderful world that would be.

I see thanks to the handy +Share I can now share this on AmenMe.

My joy is complete.

So you don’t have to do RE if you’re racist? Is this a bnp manifesto promise?

It’s political correctness gawn mad, I tells ya.

It would be nice if we could pick and choose out schooling wouldn’t it?

Well you can pick for your child to go to a religious school but you cannot pick for them to go to a non religious school free from RE. Yes it would be nice if we had the same choices as them. it would not be fair for me to insist on atheism classes in their schools which is what they do to us all irrespective of our choices. they have choices we dont. How is that fair? only one side picks and chooses and they do it for us all.

Then we wouldn’t have to have our views challenged ever!

I await the invite to their places of worship to do just this – they and you would support this I assume and it will be enshrined in law as well obviously

Molly you are the most religious atheist in the world

I dont mind having views challenged I mind having to do it every week funded by the state and being branded racist if i decline the invite.

This seems appropriate:

Racist now

and being branded racist if i decline the invite.

I think that bit only applies in one particular niche school? Nicely slipped in there

What does religion have to do with race?

DenDennis – Member
I think its actually quite clever isn’t it?
the real religious bigots, of whatever persuasion, close minded and those who refuse to tolerate / integrate with others would be the ones exposed….

No, not really.

Why woud anyone not want their kid to do this if not for racist reasons?
Because i am not religious and as far as I am aware not liking the beliefs of the religious nor wiahing to have my kids exposed to it does not make me a racist.

Bang on.

MORE IMPORTANTLY it is NOT a statutory requirement to attend RE but it is a statutory requirement for schools to deliver it so it is also factually incorrect

Bang on again.

In England and Wales Parents have the statutory right under Section 71 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to withdraw their children from RE lessons and acts of Collective Worship at all maintained schools, including faith schools. Parents are not obliged to give a reason for requesting withdrawal.

Right on brother.

The parental right to withdraw a child should be freely exercisable and the school must give effect to any such request.
To assume everyone who does it is a racist is a massive non sequitor and I thought the point of RE was to teach tolerance – apparently this is not extended to those of no faith as I assume they are not part of the local community
I will be surprised if this is real tbh

I agree with this too.

Wonders will never cease – I agree with Junky on a thread regarding religion!

I wouldn’t have a problem with my children going on this trip – but how on earth people would see refusal as inherently racist is beyond me…

Just send the kid – your fault for having them!

@ dannybgoode

In fact, no I would not. If she would not believe me as a parent as to the health of my child I think I would argue a complete breakdown of trust and would remove my child from the school together.

So schools should believe every parent on face value when a child is absent? 😯

You might be honest and send your child in unless they are really poorly, but many give in to slight sniffles etc. which is not an authorised absence. The key is honest and open communication between schools and parents.

Political Correctness gone mad 👿

How can refusal to send your child on a Religious trip be classed as Racial Discrimination? Race & Religion are 2 separate things.

Why should the child have a Racial Discrimination note made on their school records, when it is the parents choice.

Who in their right mind would employee someone who sends official letters on behalf of their organisation out to parents in Comic Sans.

So much for freedom of choice! 🙄

The key is honest and open communication between schools and parents.

The key is respect and treating each other as adult equals…

I’m starting to wonder if one of my favourite argumentative tandem riders is back on the forum..?

That is a very weird and inflammatory letter though..
The religion activity sounds pukka, but that threat is a bit nuts to say the least.. I suppose we can guess fairly accurately at the intent behind it, but really!!?
However, I’m from a town that is only economically viable due to a very large teacher training college, and I see very few children come out of there that aren’t completely divorced from reality, so it doesn’t really surprise me either..

Well I’m not him – I always wear a helmet!

The key is respect and treating each other as adult equals…

Absolutely. Unfortunately parents do lie sometimes to schools (unsurprisingly).

as indeed has the school in this case as there is no statutory duty to attend the statutory duty is for schools to deliver RE

It would be a poor world if the default was to assume the school or the parent was lying just because some do.

I don think they can demand a Dr note either tbh

Don’t get me wrong – this letter is totally out of order. However I didn’t imply the default position was to assume either party is lying.

Schools can request medical evidence to help code absence appropriately, but this can take many forms and this letter is not the way to do it!

How do we know that letter to be real?

Seems like a docted one to stir up the kind of reaction it has on here IMO. 🙄

How do we know you are real?