Primary school bans kids from watching solar eclipse for ‘cultural and religious’ reasons

[manarak]

I think the teacher got stuck in indecision and then ran out of time, but he had to make a decision in the last 10 seconds and didn't come up with a better reason than a hollow excuse.

In detail, it could have been a fundamentalist Hindu (or another religious nutter - it doesn't really matter) calling the teacher and telling about the impurity thing. Then the teacher weighed his decision, thougt about keeping the children of the nutters inside and letting the others out, feared accusations of discrimination, thought about writing the parents and asking for individual permission, but there was no time or it was too much work, then asked someone (likely his boss) about advice, but got none, and then the day came already...

Teachers (and other state personnel) are too often left alone with their decisions with no backup person equipped with wisdom and intelligence to give proper advice.

[Bwanatickey]

The reality on the ground at the time of this Eclipse was this, the morning was dull and grey, the grey cloud cover was so deep that looking directly skywards you saw a completely grey ,cloudy sky with no breaks.

As for the Sun, it was nowhere to be seen. Looking up the day light was so poor nobody was in any danger of going blind.

A non event.

Watching it on TV was the only option.

[Rorri]

Superstitious Thais blame attempts by Rahu, the mythical god of darkness, to swallow the sun, hence the eclipse. They beat Rahu off with drums and other noisemakers and it seems to work!

They don't cower in schools or other hiding places, but face the evil Rahu head-on in full confrontation mode.

I think the UK's nanny education system is being over-cautious, as usual. I hope they have got this sorted out by the time the full solar eclipse comes around in 2090.

What kind of stupid comment is this "I think the UK's nanny education system", do you believe everything done, in the UK is due to a "nanny" state, or is it simply in your own mind, rules/laws are put in place to protect the people from ignorant/anti-social people, of which you may be one... the other thing is, and this is very important, you seemed to have missed that this action was taken by ONLY one (1) school, how the hell do you then go on to comment about the WHOLE education system... some would say it is an idiotic comment therefore you would be an...well I can not say, out of fear of once again being "suspended," for stating the bleeding obvious. Some readers really are thin skinned.

[DaiHard]

Pure insanity - I am so glad I left

[MaxYakov]

It was probably a ploy to avoid having some kids with burned retinas had it not been overcast. At least I hope that was the case.

Oh, yes. To get a lot of comments on TVF as a secondary result.

Edited March 22, 2015 by MaxYakov

[Jonmarleesco]

And I thought I resided in a country where superstition reigns supreme. Evidently, it's still very much more alive and kicking in segments of the UK immigrant population, and ludicrous obeisance to it very much alive and kicking in idiots in positions of authority.

[Chicog]

I think it's worth mentioning that most schools to this as an educational opportunity. They taught kids about the dangers of looking directly at the sun, showed them how to make pinhole cameras, etc., and then educated them on the astronomy involved.

Isn't that why we send our children to school? To learn?

Only this twerp decided to make something out of it that it was not.

I don't even think it's worth trying to blame it on some perceived religious mumbo jumbo if the bloke can't actually come out and prove that it was ever an issue.

[7by7]

And I thought I resided in a country where superstition reigns supreme. Evidently, it's still very much more alive and kicking in segments of the UK immigrant population, and ludicrous obeisance to it very much alive and kicking in idiots in positions of authority.

The school is attended by pupils from many races and religions. None of the parents asked for this ban, and all who have expressed an opinion have said that they see no reason for it.

The head teacher who made this ludicrous decision is white, and from his name possibly Welsh.

As the Welsh are among the last remnants of the original Celtic peoples who inhabited these islands before Roman's, one can hardly describe them as immigrants!

Evidently, making ludicrous comments without first checking the facts is alive and kicking on Thai Visa!

[notmyself]

None of the parents asked for this ban

And you know this......

Evidently, making ludicrous comments without first checking the facts is alive and kicking on Thai Visa!

Edited March 24, 2015 by notmyself

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.

[Lissos]

As the Welsh are among the last remnants of the original Celtic peoples who inhabited these islands before Roman's, one can hardly describe them as immigrants!

However, they are still referred to as 'settlers' even in the recent research that came out.

Overall, the human story has been one of movement and settlement.

it is only over considerably periods of time that newbie settlers begin to refer to themselves as "original" or "indigenous".

I believe the recent DNA research over Great Britain was pointing out that it's never as clear cut as many like to believe.

[7by7]

None of the parents asked for this ban

And you know this......

Evidently, making ludicrous comments without first checking the facts is alive and kicking on Thai Visa!

A reasonable assumption based upon what was said by all of the parents, from several religions and cultures, who made a comment in all the various national and local news reports (you did read them, surely?).

As the sentence you heavily edited goes on

and all who have expressed an opinion have said that they see no reason for it.

I accept, though, that it is possible that a parent or parents requested that their children not watch it on religious or cultural grounds; but the fact that the head teacher made no mention of any complaints or requests to exclude any children from watching the eclipse directly casts doubt on this.

Instead he says he was 'made aware' of possible objections; but doesn't say by whom.

Whatever his reasons, the attempt by some here to lay the blame for this on one particular religion is as ludicrous as Mr. Johnstone's decision to ban all his pupils from watching the eclipse outside.

Not that they'd have seen anything if they did; as already said, the heavy cloud cover over London at the time meant the sun could not be seen at all. Beautiful clear, blue sky a couple of hours later, though!

[7by7]

Not sure what you mean by 'culturally enriched' but from the Daily Mail.

North Primary, which is not a faith school, describes itself online as 'multicultural with a welcoming ethos'.

whatever that means.

Personally, I believe there should not be any official state religion in any country, but there is in the UK and it is Christianity.

From the 2011 census, the five largest groups were (source):

1. Christianity, 59.5%
2. No religion, 25.7%
3. Not stated, 7.2%
4. Islam, 4.4%
5. Hindu, 1.3%

A significant decline in Christians since the 2001 census (source), from 72%, with a similar increase in no religion, up from 8%. Others varied only slightly, for example Islam up from 3%.

So the decline in Christianity is due more to the increase in those saying they have no religion than any increase in the numbers following any other faith.

Also, despite what the hate sites will tell you, the fastest growing 'religion' in the UK is not Islam; it's no religion!

If this trend continues, then it wont be long, maybe even by the next census in 2021, before most British people will not follow any religion at all.

Edited March 26, 2015 by 7by7