Schoolboys disciplined for 'refusing to pray to Allah'
Two schoolboys were allegedly disciplined after refusing to kneel down and "pray to Allah" during a religious education lesson. It was claimed that the boys, from a year seven class of 11 and 12-year-olds, were given detention after refusing to take part in a practical demonstration of how Allah is worshipped. Yesterday parents accused the school of breaching their human rights by forcing them to take part in the exercise. One, Sharon Luinen, said: "This isn't right, it's taking things too far. I understand that they have to learn about other religions. I can live with that but it is taking it a step too far to be punished because they wouldn't join in Muslim prayer.

"Making them pray to Allah, who isn't who they worship, is wrong and what got me is that they were told they were being disrespectful." Another parent Karen Williams, 38, whose 12-year-old daughter is a classmate of the boys, said: "I am absolutely furious my daughter was made to take part in it and I don't find it acceptable. "The teacher had gone into the class and made them watch a short film and then said 'we are now going out to pray to Allah'. "Then two boys got detention and all the other children missed their refreshments' break." She added: "Not only was it forced upon them, my daughter was told off for not doing it right. "They'd never done it before and they were supposed to do it in another language."

She said the pupils were asked if they had water on them, and when one girl produced a bottle, the teacher began washing her feet with it. Her husband Keith, 44, a painter and decorator, said: "The school is wonderful but this one teacher has made a major mistake. It seems to be happening throughout society. People think they can ride roughshod over our beliefs and the way we live." The Telegraph in full...

Toddlers who dislike spicy food 'racist'
Toddlers who turn their noses up at spicy food from overseas could be branded racists by a Government-sponsored agency. The National Children's Bureau, which receives £12 million a year, mainly from Government funded organisations, has issued guidance to play leaders and nursery teachers advising them to be alert for racist incidents among youngsters in their care.

This could include a child of as young as three who says " "yuk" in response to being served unfamiliar foreign food.

The guidance by the NCB is designed to draw attention to potentially-racist attitudes in youngsters from a young age. It alerts playgroup leaders that even babies can not be ignored in the drive to root out prejudice as they can "recognise different people in their lives". The 366-page guide for staff in charge of pre-school children, called Young Children and Racial Justice, warns: "Racist incidents among children in early years settings tend to be around name-calling, casual thoughtless comments and peer group relationships."

It advises nursery teachers to be on the alert for childish abuse such as: "blackie", "Pakis", "those people" or "they smell". The guide goes on to warn that children might also "react negatively to a culinary tradition other than their own by saying 'yuk'". Staff are told: "No racist incident should be ignored. When there is a clear racist incident, it is necessary to be specific in condemning the action."

Warning that failing to pick children up on the their racist attitudes could instil prejudice, the NCB adds that if children "reveal negative attitudes, the lack of censure may indicate to the child that there is nothing unacceptable about such attitudes". Nurseries are encouraged to report as many incidents as possible to their local council. The guide added: "Some people think that if a large number of racist incidents are reported, this will reflect badly on the institution. In fact, the opposite is the case."

Comment: 27. Posted by Iain on July 10, 2008 05:19 PM
If disliking spicy food makes a child racist then I expect that my 5 year old will shortly be writing an application to join the BNP. Put anything other than fish, chicken, pasta, potato, carrots or broccoli in front of her and you get "Yuk!". Furthermore I expect her friend will also be joining as she has similar tastes. I'm sure the BNP will welcome a five year old and her six year old Indian best friend. Utter madness which proves that this country needs a thorough clear out of the PC morons from the top down.

56. Posted by korotishka on July 10, 2008 04:49 PM
This is why I don't put my kids in a daycare! By the way, I teach my kids about other cultures, we eat curry quite often,lived in different places all over the world, my husband's family is Muslim (he converted to Christianity shhhh) but I have a son who STILL stares at a woman in Hijab, think certain Afghani mechanics stink, and refuses to eat curry. It is called innocence not ignorance. If someone stinks, they stink. My son does not care about what country they are from and does not know yet whether or not that person was ever oppressed. The man stinks! If he doesn't like curry he doesn't like curry. If he thinks kim chi (which we eat a lot)smells like a dirty diaper that is what he thinks. He doesn't think of himself as part of an ethnic group yet at the age of three. Those who say that the children are racist must not have any kids of their own. Furthermore, the schools are only to teach reading, writing, and arithmetic. I can teach my child not to be racist at home for free without paying thousands of dollars in taxes. I hear more racism coming from those of India and Pakistan than I have ever heard from a redneck living in the hills. Ask one if they would allow their daughter to marry a white Christian and listen to their response. Thank you !