Wouldn't happen in Germany/censorship

[WATFORD zero]

'Objection M'lud!' El Pres is being unduly pedantic.

You know full well that my use of 'we' refers to society as a whole, the establishment, the educational authorities etc etc.

What about the Muslims in society, the establishment, the educational authorities etc etc - should they be included

 

[Fitzcarraldo]

Sausage, Bacon and Egg is best for the kids prior the exams.

What is wrong with you? You really do continually reveal yourself as a nasty, nasty, piece of work.

 

[wellquickwoody]

What about the Muslims in society, the establishment, the educational authorities etc - should they be included

The clue was in the 'whole'

 

[Sussex Nomad]

What is wrong with you? You really do continually reveal yourself as a nasty, nasty, piece of work.

Yes [MENTION=26105]Soulman[/MENTION], how dare you use such utterly offensive pork language!

 

[El Presidente]

'Objection M'lud!' El Pres is being unduly pedantic.

You know full well that my use of 'we' refers to society as a whole, the establishment, the educational authorities etc etc.

As part of the 'educational authorities' I take the view that we should take an inclusive and flexible approach to all aspects of education.

The tail shouldn't wag the dog, and the proposal being discussed (nothing has as yet been finalised), involves minor tweaks, not wholesale changes, to the exam date period. That seems appropriate, proportionate, and reasonable.

It's a shame the government wants to turn the clock back to a rote learning, inflexible, regurgitation of fact approach to the assessment of students. Skills which are of little use to them once they leave education for employment and the outside world.

 

[WATFORD zero]

The clue was in the 'whole'

So you believe the whole of society should be included on any discussions about exam timing - I get you now, you seemed to be arguing the opposite earlier

 

[Brian Fantana]

That we reccomend that Muslim children do not follow the strictest rules of Ramadan if this falls within the GCSE examination period as this may adversely affect their results?

This already happens.

A lot of Muslim children will fast outside of the standard Ramadan period - so they'll either observe a similar period of fasting before or after the exam period.

 

[Guinness Boy]

You are not aware of how discussion works are you?

I am perfectly aware that this issue is currently at a consultative stage and that no final decision has been made. You should be aware that a growing number of people have misgivings about how far British society is willing to change to accomodate people from other alien cultures, and that it is perfectly reasonable to debate this issue.

The majority of children of Islamic faith in our schools today were born here.

Meanwhile, it is not historically acceptable to silence free speech in Britain and to stifle debate. Or is this another topic where you would disagree with me?

No I agree. Freedom of speech is well worth defending. Yours. Mine. Bushy's. The EDLs. Anjem Choudary's. Jeremy Corbyn's. And it's the right of the other party to call it bollocks too. For me the more extremists on either side talk, the more it is easy to ridicule and rebuff them. IF the Germans suppressed this news story they were as bad as the old bill in Rotherham.

 

[Soulman]

Yes [MENTION=26105]Soulman[/MENTION], how dare you use such utterly offensive pork language!

Oh i know you must not joke about those that must not be offended in front of those that are offended for the those............ meanwhile we are supposed to sit back and not be offended by the recent actions and the proposed changes to suit those who we must not offend.

 

[looney]

So it's a bit like Easter then?

I manage to organise exams and assignments around that quite easily and have done so for years.

As an educator, do I want students to be disadvantaged from achieving academic success due to fasting as a result of their religious beliefs? No.

As an atheist, do I find the whole thing a load of bollocks? Yes.

In the USA they have laws about the separation of church and state, I agree with the bollocks bit and I think the separation of Mosque and state is also a good idea.

I am in favour of flexability but this is a 2 way street, there was no flexibility when labour banned pounds and ounces. When you have this kind of double standard then every reasonable accommodation act becomes toxic and tolerance begins to look like cowardice which encourages extremism.

To solve the small issues you need to face the big ones.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

Oh i know you must not joke about those that must not be offended in front of those that are offended for the those............ meanwhile we are supposed to sit back and not be offended by the recent actions and the proposed changes to suit those who we must not offend.

Whilst they slipped Halal meat in to the kids meals without notifying parents. This was from 2014 mind, but this is a prime example of where things are going wrong.
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/11316998.Disgust_at_halal_meat_in_school_meals/

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Do the Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and however many other minority religions to our country have these faith practices? If so, why have we never taken there beliefs into consideration? Or have we? I'm pretty thick when it comes to religion, I see no point in it, but that's another story. Why is it always the muslims that seem to be pointed out? Other than the fact it would seem a large amount of their 'brothers' from the east want to wipe us out. Is this our rather sheepish way of trying to accommodate their threats? I was under the impression this was a Christian country and therefore it is run along the lines of said religion? I'm losing the plot on all this crap to be honest.

 

[beorhthelm]

A little nudge here and there might arise if feasible but exams are not going to be shifted to early May or mid July.

Ramadan begins 6th June this year, next year it starts 27th May. so yes, that would require a shift to either early May or exams in July.

 

[El Presidente]

Ramadan begins 6th June this year, so while it might not require a shift to "early" May, it will shift it into May. next year it starts 27th May, so yes, that would require a wholesale shift to either beginning of May or July.

I can't see that happening.

 

[Soulman]

Do the Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and however many other minority religions to our country have these faith practices? If so, why have we never taken there beliefs into consideration? Or have we? I'm pretty thick when it comes to religion, I see no point in it, but that's another story. Why is it always the muslims that seem to be pointed out? Other than the fact it would seem a large amount of their 'brothers' from the east want to wipe us out. Is this our rather sheepish way of trying to accommodate their threats? I was under the impression this was a Christian country and therefore it is run along the lines of said religion? I'm losing the plot on all this crap to be honest.

We have no problem with the "Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and however many other minority religions" in this country as far as i know, no problems in Europe either.
I have said many times that we seem to rub along quite nicely here. I think a few jokes do not go amiss either.... i certainly do not get upset watching the Life Of Brian and as far as i know it has not been banned.

 

[carlzeiss]

Ramadan begins 6th June this year, next year it starts 27th May. so yes, that would require a shift to either early May or exams in July.

Not sure why they feel the need to starve their kids at a certain time of the year but I guess if a book written in the 7th century says they have to then so be it .

Similarly if the book says that their daughters clitoris must be sliced of with a razor blade then why not ?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

The non-reporting of the Cologne assaults is absolutely a story worth highlighting and debating.

The Ramadan / exam thing really is not. Utter non story, instigated by the standard pathetic full front page Daily Mail xenophobic misinformation.

As it goes I am one of those that the Mail states are 'outraged and concerned' about this (the parent of a student taking A-level exams this summer). I've had a little think about it, and have decided that whilst its a MASSIVE issue, and my boy is undoubtably being WRONGED somehow and discrimated against for being white anglo-saxon, that him needing to get up earlier to sit a couple of exams in the morning instead of the afternoon, isn't THAT big a deal.

 

[wellquickwoody]

This already happens.

A lot of Muslim children will fast outside of the standard Ramadan period - so they'll either observe a similar period of fasting before or after the exam period.

So the possible moving of examination dates to suit Ramadan is not necessary then?

 

[Brian Fantana]

So the possible moving of examination dates to suit Ramadan is not necessary then?

Correct.

Ramadan won't always fall during the exam season either - it moves back roughly a week each year. So, by my dodgy maths, by 2020 is will be falling during the Easter holidays.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

10 years ago people where telling the authorities that there where problems within communities in this country, there where problems brewing across the EU as well but the people who stood up and spoke out where called every name imaginable.
Now look at the situation, things are actually getting worse and If you listen to the way some of our politicians speak today it's exactly the same as what these people where saying 10 years ago, it's too little too late.