TORONTO – Hindus from across Toronto plan to protest outside a North York middle school until a controversial Friday prayer session for 400 Muslim students is stopped.
The Canadian Hindu Advocacy is one of a number of Toronto-area groups who are opposed to the 30- to 40-minute services that occurred in the cafeteria of Valley Park Middle School on Overlea Blvd. from November to March.
An imam from a local mosque is brought to school to head the service, officials said. During the service male students are made to sit in front of the girls.
“This is alarming and unacceptable,” said Advocacy director Ron Banerjee. “We respect the separation of church and state.”
He said his group will be sending letters of protest to the Toronto District School Board in the next few days and calling for an end of the noon-time services. That will be followed by protests in November, when the services resume, if the prayers are to continue next school year.
“There’s not supposed to be any religious classes taking place in public schools,” Banerjee said. “We will be asking the board to stop the practice.”
He said school officials stopped students from reciting the Lord’s Prayers years ago and his group will picket the Muslim classes if the practice isn’t stopped.
“Our organization has received many complaints from Hindu students and parents in the Valley Park Middle School region,” Banerjee said.
He said his group would like to begin a discussion with TDSB authorities aimed at restoring secular education within the school system.
“We would also like to discuss the serving of halal meat within TDSB schools,” he said. “Our organization is determined to ensure all Hindu students are provided non-halal meat alternatives.”
Area resident Khalid Sheikh, who claims to be president of Parents For School Not for Political Parties, said local school councils have been “hijacked and controlled” by Muslim groups and political parties.
“Neutral parents who do not like this political stuff in our schools are neglected,” Sheikh said. “For God’s sake, stop this nonsense in our schools.”
Area trustee Gerri Gershon said “there are many tensions within the community.
“The school should not be focused on these tensions and politics but have a wide representation of young people,” Gershon said.
Categories: Canada, Law, Law and Religion
Thank you dear brother Zakaria Virk for sharing this with us.
Even though, as Muslims, we like to say our Salat or prayer. Yet to maintain order and peace in society we do believe in Separation of Mosque-Church and State, we would like equal treatment for all religions in public schools.
We can agree with the observation made by Civil Rights organization representative:
“Malcolm Buchanan, of Civil Rights in Public Education, said he has no problems with the Muslim prayer service as long as it doesn’t take place while classes are in session.
‘Schools are for learning and not religious ideology,” said Buchanan. “We have no problems as long as it doesn’t take place during school time or the kids are not forced to take part.’”
In my opinion if an optional short-break is allowed for the Muslims, similar concessions should be made for other religious groups on their request. I know concessions are made for Sabath observation in the public sphere, at times. The bottom line is that all religions should be treated equally.