A school in Germany has banned its Muslim pupils from organizing prayer sessions on its premises, alleging that they are too “provocative”.
The headteacher of the Johannes Rau Gymnasium in the city of Wuppertal, in western Germany, said non-Muslim children and staff were disturbed by those who follow Islam rolling out prayer mats in classrooms and other public areas.
She said there was also discomfort about “ritual ablutions” – such as the washing of feet – being carried out in school bathrooms.
A letter from headmistress Christiane Genschel and assistant headmaster Rainer Kokenbrinker has been given to all teachers at the school ordering that “clearly visible praying” should not be tolerated any more.
The letter, titled “Religious Operations in the School”, reads: “In recent weeks it has been seen that Muslim schoolchildren are visibly praying, signalled by ritual ablutions in the toilets, the rolling out of prayer rugs and the taking of appropriate body postures. This is not permitted.”
It says teachers should enforce the edict in a “friendly” manner.
The move has triggered protests on social media networks. However, Germany remains in a state of great unease as a result of the sudden influx of about 1 million Middle Eastern and African immigrants over the last 18 months, leaving a question mark over how much support any protests will attract.
In December, a Christmas market in Berlin was attacked by an Islamic fundamentalist who drove a truck into a crowd of people, killing 12 of them.
Featured image via Google Maps/R. F. Kokenbrink
