From BuzzFeed News
by Siraj Datoo
Muslim students in four primary schools in London will not be allowed to fast during Ramadan without special permission, with the headmaster of one school citing the students’ welfare as the motivating factor behind the decision.
In the letter, the acting headteacher of Barclay Primary School – identified as Mr Wright – said the school understood “that this is a very significant and special time of the year for our Muslim community and that from a very early age Muslim children learn to understand and practice adherence to the Five Pillars of Islam, of which the annual observance of Ramadan is one”.
However, he continued, the school’s Muslim students will not be allowed to fast during school hours because the school is concerned about their welfare.
“[In] Islamic law,” he said, “the health of an individual is the first priority. Previously we have had a number of children who became ill and children who have fainted or been unable to fully access the school curriculum in their attempts to fast.”
He said that the fact that Muslims would not be eating or drinking for up to 18 hours would particularly affect younger students.
Wright went on to say that students who attend the “schools within the Lion Academy Trust” would not be allowed to fast without permission. This extends to four schools across the city, three of which are in Walthamstow and the other in Tottenham.
“No child will be considered to be able to fast in school unless you have met with myself,” Wright wrote in the letter. This meeting would discuss how best to “ensure the safety and well being of your children while still ensuring they are part of the Ramadan celebration.”
