OK, I am jumping in the fray here PIM (dare I??).
First, my responses and opinions are based on my understanding of the situation which is the following:
The 13 year old girl, wearing a head scarf, cannot attend the fully public school in her neighborhood because there arenīt any vacancies. Therefore the state has assigned her to the semi private school and is paying part of her education. Her parents are responsible for paying a reduced amount towards her education as well. A difficult position for either party to be in.
1. Generally speaking, I think that it is fine that a person (male or female) wear garb which they deem appropriate and respectful of their religion always when such clothing is not offensive (i.e. nudity) or physically dangerous to those around them (i.e. getting poked in the eye by a crucifix).
I come from a country (USA) where people have the freedom to choose their religion and to practice it. I have seen the school age girls and boys who practice Islam (both of Arabic descent as well as African Americans) wear a head covering, which is not restrictive to their body movements, to school. I have also seen school aged boys who practice Judaism wear the skull caps or Yamakas (sp?) to school as well. Public school. I think that such mixing is wonderful and helps to enrichen the educational experience. Other children are exposed to other religions (not just their own).
I believe if the school is Catholic, Jewish, Islamic, you name your religion, and PRIVATELY funded, then the school administration has the right to determine the appropriate clothing for school uniforms.. here, there and everywhere. Those who donīt like the rules, go to a different school. We live in a world full of rules. Businesses have required (in inappropriate) attire. Should we rebel and wear what we want to work just because our company thinks that the most appropriate clothing is a navy blue suit, or a polyester uniform?
What should be done in the case of this Muslim girl? Good question, because there is a mix of both issues here. It is clear that neither party wants to give in. The school wants the girl to stop wearing the head piece, the government will only pay part of her education and there isnīt any vacancy at the local public school and the father wonīt let the girl go to school unless she wears the head piece.
Hmmm....I see a couple of solutions here:
A. The state pay the full private education of the girl, obliging her to go to school. When the father resists because she isnīt allowed to wear the head piece, then the state take the appropriate legal action that it would take against any Spanish parent that denies their child a right to an education.
B. The state make an exception and allow the girl to go to the local public school, although there arenīt anymore vacancies. That way, she can wear her headscarf and get her education. If the issue of vacancies is so severe, then the state can take one of the children at the local public school, pay for part of its education (as it was doing with the 13 year old Muslim) at the private school therefore creating a vacancy for the Muslim girl at the public school, and giving a child who may not otherwise be able to afford it, a private education.
I definitely see a bit of hypocrisy here on part of the Spanish educational system. If it were so important (to the Spanish) that she get an education, then forget about the darn scarf and educate her!! But it appears that that issue is more than just her lack of school attendance. When every policitian has to jump in and voice their opinion, then it is beyond the girlīs interests. It then becomes a political platform for every politician out there. It is becoming an issue of us versus them:
Catholics vs. Muslims
Spaniards vs. immigrants
I have no doubt that the father values her education. He sees their religous values as part of her education. He also values her education and advancement otherwise he would have never immigrated to Spain from his country for better opportunities for both him and his family. Perhaps if more Catholics, Protestants, Jews, etc...practiced what we preached (note the use of first person plural, I am counting myself in that bunch), instead of pulling out the religous card only when it is convenient for us...perhaps this world would be a better place.
With regards to she being 13 years old and being allowed/forced to wear the scarf is really a mute point. There is an age at which a child can or cannot make decisions for him/herself. So, she wants to excercise her rights and NOT wear the scarf to school (if such were the case), we should listen to what SHE thinks is right? And if she thought it were right for her to get pregnant because she wanted a child to care for, we should also allow that to happen? (and I do see the correlation that Wolf was making to the botellón)...I digress.
2. Spain, like the USA is made up of many different cultures. What is one more?
Fernando writes:
We are now suffering the first stresses of the inmigration issue, it is difficult to accept certain things, but of one thing I'm sure: We must not deny our own cultural values to accept inmigrants. They are coming to our country, they must adapt to our rules, to our laws and to our customs, or go back to their countries.
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OUCH! That statement stung! That sounds like the infamous American line "my way or the highway".
Should the Americans remove the horrendous American franchises in Spain because they donīt serve customary Spanish food?
I donīt think that by wanting to wear her headscarf (or her father to have her wear her headscarf) the girl is asking the Spanish to deny themselves of their cultural values. She is simply asking for the right not to have to give up hers. I donīt recall reading in the papers anywhere where the family is demanding that the schoolmates of the girl be obliged to wear headscarves like the 13 year old. Perhaps I missed something. Isnīt the family (apart from the headscarf issue) a law abiding family that works hard to make a living? Are they causing problems in their neighborhood? Are they stealing and going against every Spanish social norm?
3. The headscarf is yes, a sign of submission and humility. But itīs a sign of submission and humility before God/Allah... just like the Nuns who wear habits, like the priests who wear collars, like the Jewish men who wear Yamakas and the Bretheren women who wear prayer caps. So what? Perhaps if the Spanish public were to get as angry about the spousal abuse issue, and the men who beat their women INTO SUBMISSION, then THAT would be one less social ill to worry about. One that does offend and cause physical danger to others.
I agree with the Spanish public, itīs a disgrace that this child, note CHILD, is being denied an education all due to her head scarf. However, I think itīs also a disgrace that the state has not come up with a culturally sensitive way to address this issue. Especially at a time when the Spanish government is working hard to develop policy on the fair treatment of immigrants.
[ 02-23-2002: Message edited by: Chica ]
[ 02-23-2002: Message edited by: Chica ]