Girl Sent Home For Wearing Cross

Ranz_Killa · December 6, 2005

School ban on girl wearing cross 'discriminatory
By Nick Britten

A mother accused her daughter's school of discriminating against Christians yesterday after the teenager was suspended for refusing to take off a crucifix necklace.

Sam Morris, 16, was sent home from Sinfin Community School in Derby for breaking a school policy that bans jewellery.

Last night her mother, Debra, said that Sikh children were allowed to wear a steel bracelet, known as a kara, for religious reasons and said her daughter had every right to express her faith.

Education officials were unrepentant, however, and said that Sikhs are required by religion to wear items of jewellery, whereas Christians are not.

Mrs Morris, 37, said: "Sam has worn this necklace for more than three years. No one has told her to take it off before, and she doesn't want to remove it.

"She thinks it's very unfair when other people are allowed to wear religious symbols. It just ends up creating a divide between the pupils.

"Everyone is being told that they should be living in unity, but this rule is not right. Sam has just as much right to celebrate her own religion."

She said her daughter believed in God but did not regularly attend church.

Miss Morris, who is studying for GCSEs, was told on Thursday by the deputy headmaster to remove the necklace. When she refused, she was sent home for the day and told not to return until she agrees not to wear it.

Mrs Saunders, from Sinfin, said she allowed her daughter back to the 1,070-pupil comprehensive yesterday, minus the crucifix, because she did not want her to miss lessons.

She said: "Sam needs to get her GCSEs so she can go on to college. Although I'm still furious, in the long run her future is more important. But I'm still angry."

She said she will raise the matter with school governors.

Howard Jones, the deputy head who sent Miss Morris home, said the one-day suspension was a "last resort" after a 30-minute conversation failed to persuade her to take it off.

He said: "There was a long period of persuasion with her and she was given time. It was only at the end of that that I reluctantly had to exclude her for a day. I met her mother today and readmitted her daughter."

He said the school policy was "even-handed and fair".

He added: "As a Christian I don't have to wear a crucifix but Sikhs don't have that option and we have to be understanding. We live in a multi-faith society."

Derby city council urged any school imposing such regulations to look carefully at individual circumstances before issuing a total ban.

A spokesman said: "It is lawful to ban crucifixes while allowing other religious symbols, but whether it is desirable is another matter.

"For some people wearing a crucifix could be a deeply religious gesture, which is why personal needs should be taken into account."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml.../06/ixhome.html

My mum told me that they was discussin this earlier on Sonia Deols Show on BBC Asian network today.

Fwd it to 30 minutes. >

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/asiannetwor.../asiansonia_tue

I havent listened to the show properly. But this is very interesting, and in a way it is quite saddening aswell.

Firstly, PLEASE forgive me for any mistakes i make.

My views are that the christian girl SHOULD BE allowed to wear the cross.

But is it part of her faith? Can you be a christian without wearing the cross?

What difference does it make to students or teachers if some one is wearing the cross.

Does a Sikh have to wear a chain with a khanda on it to prove he or she is a sikh? I think not.

What if a Sikh was wearing a gold khanda chain, aswell?

do u think If christians want to wear the cross, then sikhs can wear the khanda around the neck too?

I think, Sikhs should not wear jewellery with khanda or ik Oankar, such as rings, and necklaces. the whole aspect of it being looked as fashion statement.

However, a Sikh Should wear a Kara.. But must he or she be baptised? (Amritdhari Sikh.)

After all, one of the first rules of being a Sikh is taking amrit?

But, what if a child is practicin to be amrithdhari?

Sometimes in school, kids take their kara of for sports education. When i was at school, i used to put a sweat band around my kara, or tie a small cloth around my kara about 5 or 6 times. I was lucky to go to a highly asian populated school, where students and teachers would know that i have made an effort to cover my kara. it is more difficult for students who go to largley non asian populated shools.

I believe u can be a sikh without having to wear any gold necklaces and rings with khanda or ik oankar engraved (like Jazzy B - Who is a Panjabi, not Sikh?)

However, Sikhs should be allowed to wear the Kara...

But is kara becoming a fashion statement?

Do we look at how big our kara is, and how good it will be in a fight?

Do we look for a Kara with nice spikes on them?

Do we Even KNOW why we are wearing a Kara?

What if a student wears a gold Kara that they got from a jewellery shop as a birthday present.. is that a Kara or is that "a bracelet that i can call my Kara"?

If it is Gold, will teachers get confused with it being a kara or fashion statement / jewellery?

Brothers and Sisters, i believe we have to Think Active at all times..

We must educate ourselves

we must educate our brothers sisters elders and children

we must educate educational authorities, the government and others

Is Britain gna be become another France? At the moment, the authorities have defended sikhs, but will the public, the typical ignorent guy on the street, ever understand or even take out time to understand our faith?

How long will it be until they do ban the Kara, then the kirpan, and then the Turban.

This is Kaljug..

We must pick up our pens and start educating the world like our Gurus have taught us.. We have such a precious and beautiful religion and history, and way of life... we must try to keep it strong and fight for truth freedom and justice.

So, what is it that we can do?

I reckon we must firstly provide children with sweat bans to wear around kara?

Should we stop selling kara's that "look cool"

I think, in our days, we had it lucky at school.. (1995 to 2000).

But now, since 9/11, 7/7, terrorist attacks here and there, behzti, and many other eye openin events that have taken place, this whole world is becoming more evil, and we must be prepared, brothers and sisters..

..we must support our younger brothers and sisters with whatever they need. Educate them, not only why they wear kara, but with sikh history, gurbani. tell them how beautiful our sikhi is.

If, ALL the Sikh children, in todays schools, took amrit and became practicin sikhs, they can set everythin straight, they can educate teachers, educate their peers, and make it easier for THEIR younger brothers n sisters who will be starting school after them. It may be a hard task, but our Grandfather, Sahib sri Guru Tegh Bahadhar Ji, are watchin us and is with us at all time. If Guru ji can save a sinkin ship, then they will sure help us too... we need faith and start doing as much seva as possible, yes for gurdwareh and Guru Sahibs, BUT also for the sake of Sikhi, escpecially our Future Sikh children.

Lets stand up and start making a difference, if its by going into schools to educate teachers, by publishing literature for the public, if its by sending emails out to fellow family and friends, tell them to stand up too, if its by starting off by making sweat bands to give to parents to give to kids at your local gurdwara? Theres so many things we can do, but we are too lazy and choose to ignore it or leave it to someone else.

Forgive my for my mistakes. These are my views, and i no they are scattered all over the place, but its all on top of ma head, all from Guru ji.

sikh supreme · December 6, 2005

It's plain stupid political correctness... the girl should never have been banned wearing any religious symbol.

It's not even an issue... just the leftist poltical correct loonies who want take stupid actions thinking they being fair to religious minorities but end up playing into the hands of the right wing.

All-Info · December 6, 2005

If this offends anyone, i apologise in advance.

I think the SIKH FEDERATION should issue the documents or articles which they have as requested my myself personally 8months ago when i helped a student with her issue of not being allowed to wear a kara in school.

From there, she is know amritdhari and wears a dastar, and is a chardi kala gursikh!

point being, if they have the documents, please provide them to us, the youth who can activley take time out to help students in need if they are busy with their own agenda they work for, (8 point agenda?) sorry i dont know it off by heart but all im saying is, we have these organisations, lets use them to our advantage now.

IF ANYONE HAS THE KARA ARTICLE, PLEASE CAN YOU PM ME! i have requested a number of times to sikh organisations and have not got anywhere. this is a final benti now for some assistance so we can tackle the problem while its still small and before french ruling comes here!

Ranz_Killa · December 6, 2005

It's plain stupid political correctness... the girl should never have been banned wearing any religious symbol.
It's not even an issue... just the leftist poltical correct loonies who want take stupid actions thinking they being fair to religious minorities but end up playing into the hands of the right wing.

138364[/snapback]

Well said paji.

What i dont understand is why are they not arguing the case that just like how she was wearing the cross on a necklace, the same way sikhs wear their khanda across their neck with a necklace.

The school say that no jewellery is allowed, just like many schools do, but it was a shame that in this case, the necklace, being jewellery, had a cross around it.

I can say that schools are right to allow students to wear jewellery, but then on the other hand, it is wrong, becuase teachers wear their jewellery, too..?

Sony · December 6, 2005

I dont have that article that you are looking for but, just wanted to say, why these guys are so adament about banning all religious stuff, what happened to free speach? if someone is happy with the way they are, and its not offending anyone else then whats wrong with wearing religious items? how is wearing a cross offensive to someone?

Its true we need to educate people about Sikhi, but I think now we also need to stand up for others aswell. Yes we are required to wear the 5 kakkar, however, someone who loves their religion, may express it in a certain way, may want to, and yea we arent superstitious but others might be, they may feel that that cross or symbol is a good luck charm for them. a way to remember God for them. Lets educate people about our religion at the same time pointing out that we know everyone has the right to express their religion, and should be able to.

Bhul chuk maaf

jagjit_waheguru · December 6, 2005

waheguru ji kekhalsa, waheguruji ke fateh

Pyare jio, on the way to work this morning I saw a pictire of a kirpan on the front page of the Daily Express. The Daily Express has in recent years taken the mantle from the Daily Mail, as the most right-wing daily newspaper, with often stories against Muslims, questioning political correctness. This is their favourite subject, with immigration.

Todays headline is "Now the Cross is Banned". I would have cut and paste it, but the newspaper website does not allow that function. But it can be seen on the top corner of their website.

http://www.express.co.uk/index.html#

It is about a young girl called Sam Morris, who has been banned from wearing a crucifix to her local Sinfin Community School in Derby. The paper claims the situation is "crazy" compared to the fact that male Sikhs are allowed to wear Kirpans to the same school. Then it has a picture of a large 2-3ft kirpan. The front page is very sensationalist to outrage as much as possible. The article is continued on page 7 of the paper, with another picture of the necklace and the big kirpan next to it.

The article has numerous quotes from Christian organisations and Derby Council. It also has two line quotes from harmander Singh and Bhupinder Singh for Sikhs.

I have complete sympathy for the girl, but the manner is which the kirpan is being used is wrong. Further the sensationalist way in which it is depicted with only create alarm in parents of children who are ignorant of Sikhs.

It is typical tabloid article designed to cause outrage, sell newspapers, and care little about its affects and aftermath.

Call all Sikhs write to the editor and comaplin at the following

expressletters@express.co.uk

Please write sensible letters. Do not swear and threaten. Otherwise this right-wing paper that loves to denigrate minorities, will just carry the headline, -"Sikh extremists threaten editor". So please write in an articulate that most sikhs use everyday. Below is the email I sent - if you need a guide.

Please do not cut and paste and send, please write in your own words.

...........

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing about your depiction of the kirpan on your front page article, "Now the Cross is Banned".

I have complete sympathy with Sam Morris and her case to wear her cross, and I have often wondered why Christians are not more forthright in their expression of religion. I have never come across any ethnic minority that is offended by other religions, or their festivals, in the manner of stories that today frequent newspapers.

However the manner in which you have used the Sikh kirpan is highly irresponsible. Young sikhs do face a hard time in Schools, especially due to their distinct appearance. Bullying and name-calling is common. It is not that many years since a talented young sikh boy called Vijay Singh in Manchester was driven to suicide to escape the bullying. Today we see children helplines busy dealing with these problems. I personally I think your article will just cause disafffection in youth, and create unneccessary alarm in parents of all school children.

Your pictures of the kirpans are larger size, probably a 2 or 3 foot one, which is nothing like a small 5 inch kirpan which baptised Sikhs wear. I feel this depiction will just create alarm in those who are ignorant of Sikhism. Especially in todays climate wear even a pencil sharpener is a dangerous weapon. I had expected better from a national daily newspaper.

Sikh organisations have spent many years consulted with the department of Edication, Health and Safety groups to ensure the small kirpan is acceptable and is represented in the correct manner.

Young baptised sikhs, who are male and female, (you just mentioned males) are highly disciplined in conduct and meditation, which is why you do not get incidents with use of the kirpan. They are incomparable to the "hoody culture" and hoodlums who prey on kids in schools, with knives.

Your choice to wage war on political correctness is your perogative, but bringing Sikhs into it is highly irresponsible. This kind of behaviour and sensationalistic journalism only creates more tension in communities, rather than educates.

Sikhs are an integral part of Modern Britian. The Audit Office recognises them as the most successful ethnic group, and with over 85,000 Sikh giving their lives in World Wars, I would hope they are accepted as such. Very few ethnic groups have made such a contribution to Britian.

Your Sincerely,

Mr Jagjit Singh,

Horbury,

West Yorkshire.

jagjit_waheguru · December 6, 2005

waheguru ji kekhalsa, waheguru ji ke fateh

Pyare jio, it gets worse. i just started a thread on what the daily express has done.

Repeat post below