Smacking ban in schools loophole

[Gary L]

Schools Secretary Ed Balls has been accused of refusing to ban Islamic schools from smacking children for fear of upsetting Muslim 'sensitivities'.
Mr Balls was last week urged to close a legal loophole which gives teachers in Britain's estimated 1,600 schools associated with mosques the right to smack children - even though it is banned in other schools.

Lib Dem schools spokesman David Laws, who is spearheading the campaign to close the smacking loophole, said: 'The Government needs to legislate to protect children - not leave an opt-out simply because it fears some ethnic or religious backlash.'
He was supported by Labour MP Ann Cryer, who said it would be 'bonkers' if the Government did not act. She said: 'I suspect people are frightened of upsetting the sensitivities of certain members of the Muslim faith.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...itivities.html

[Kymmy]

Oh gawd here we go again, pick on the muslims when if anyone actually bothers to read the article it's not about muslim schools but actually about a loophole which means the smacking ban law exempts schools where children attend for less than 12.5 hours per week.

Way to go daily mail!!!!

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Kymmy

it's not about muslim schools but actually about a loophole which means the smacking ban law exempts schools where children attend for less than 12.5 hours per week.

Isn't madrasahs the majority of all those schools where children attend for less than 12.5 hours per week?

you could see it as the Daily Mail is wanting to protect them Muslims rather than pick on them.

wpuld this loophole apply christian to sunday schools as well?

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by martyh

wpuld this loophole apply christian to sunday schools as well?

I think it applies to any schools where you attend for less than 12.5 hours per week.

Originally Posted by Gary L

I think it applies to any schools where you attend for less than 12.5 hours per week.

then why have the mail targeted muslim schools and not mentioned any others ?...oh wait i know ..cos it's the mail ,and i feel sure that the mail have run this story or similar before ,i'll have a dig around

[Gary L]

But experts suspect the real problems occur in madrasahs, although they
believe it also an issue with some fundamentalist Christian Sunday schools.

She said she was alerted to the problem by a local schoolteacher-I had a lot
of problems in a madrasah in my constituency,' said Mrs Cryer.
'They don't seem to have any understanding of special needs children. If a
kid isn't learning their Koranic verses terribly well, they think it's
because they are being naughty, not because they have an incapacity.

'It isn't always a question of just beating. They have a particular
punishment called the "chicken position" where a child must squat on the
floor until they get very uncomfortable.'

Another anti-Muslim topic? What. Are. The. Chances.

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Damien

Another anti-Muslim topic? What. Are. The. Chances.

The chances of what? the chances that because it's got the word Muslim in then the loophole should stay open?

Originally Posted by Gary L

The chances of what? the chances that because it's got the word Muslim in then the loophole should stay open?

The chances of another topic being Anti-Muslim (even though in this case it isn't limited to Muslims but what are facts when compared to having a go at a group of people you don't like eh?)

From the OP article

classes run by 'strange Christian sects' should also be covered by the smacking ban.
The corporal punishment exemption also covers Sunday schools, home tutors and other people who are considered to be acting 'in loco parentis'.
They can still smack children as long as the punishment is 'reasonable' - the same rule as applies to parents.
But experts suspect the real problems occur in madrasahs, although they believe it also an issue with some fundamentalist Christian Sunday schools.

What experts? Or has that word just been put in to give it credibility?

and

'We have no evidence the law is being abused or that children are being abused in these circumstances,' he said.
He also claimed that if the Government banned madrasahs and Sunday schools from smacking children, it would then have to ban grandparents and other relatives from doing the same.

The Daily Mail would love that, wouldn't they? "Bloody bleeding-heart liberal interfering government, stopping us disciplining our kids! Who do they think they are?"

---------- Post added at 10:59 ---------- Previous post was at 10:58 ----------

Originally Posted by Gary L

The chances of what? the chances that because it's got the word Muslim in then the loophole should stay open?

No, the fact that it also applies to Christian Sunday Schools, probably Jewish part-time education facilities, and the chances that you and the Daily Mail have focused on the Muslim aspect.

Originally Posted by Gary L

The chances of what? the chances that because it's got the word Muslim in then the loophole should stay open?

but the loophole isn't just for muslims is it ,so it isn't "1 law for us ,but not for others " it's the same law for everyone

[Gary L]

Do the parents have any say or rights if their child is a victim of this loophole?

Originally Posted by martyh

but the loophole isn't just for muslims is it ,so it isn't "1 law for us ,but not for others " it's the same law for everyone

There you go, bringing facts into one of Gary's anti-Muslim threads - tchhhh!

Originally Posted by foreverwar

There you go, bringing facts into one of Gary's anti-Muslim threads - tchhhh!

i know, i must go and chastise myself know maybe some light smacking is in order