Mother demands €10.000 from Dutch public school for class photo during Muslim Holiday

[Deleted]

It's in Dutch, but I'll be a good sport and translate the core of the message for you. Here's the original source: http://www.ad.nl/binnenland/moeder-w...eest~ad54630f/

Mother demands €10.000 from Dutch public school for class photo during Muslim Holiday

An Islamic mother demands €10.000 in damages and an apology of the school because the school planned the yearly class photo moment during the Eid al-Adha, or Sacrifice Feast, a Muslim holiday that is not recognized as a public holiday in the Netherlands. Her 2 daughters could not join their class on the photograph.

"Do you have any idea what it's like when your 5 year old daughter, upon entering the class room every day, looks at the class photo and asks 'Mommy, why am I not on this photo?' You can't explain this to a kid", the mother sobbed during a court session yesterday.

According to her lawyer, Laura Zuydgeest, this case is a textbook example of discrimination. "By organizing the photo moment during a Muslim religious holiday Muslims are specifically impacted. The school has the obligation to do everything they can to reschedule the appointment with the photographer. Despite the fact that the school had 2 weeks to accomplish this, this hasn't happened."

The school board, while acknowledging that the planning wasn't ideal, claimed yesterday that the photographer could not possibly reschedule due to a busy agenda. Instead the school decided to plan the photo moment first thing in the morning so Muslim kids, who were authorized to have a day off by the school, could join the photo moment before going home to celebrate the Sacrifice Feast. The majority of the Muslims took that offer. The mother did not comply because she, her husband and her kids, were present in the mosque for the traditional morning prayer.

For the students who were not present during the official photo moment the school organized another photo moment 3 weeks later. This picture, where the kids of the claimant/plaintiff were present, has been distributed to all parents free of charge.

The claimant claimed she was never informed about this. On top of this she considers the offered alternatives insufficient to compensate for the discrimination she suffered based on her religious beliefs. The judge yesterday agreed with this reasoning: "I don't think the school took enough action to cancel out the discrimination charges by planning the photo moment on the Muslim holiday".

She pointed out that the school insufficiently proved that the photographer could not possibly reschedule. The alternative photo moment 3 weeks later is a 'nice gesture', but still not a 'professional picture', consider the deputy principal took the picture. "U have minimized the difference between Islamic and non-Islamic children with this gesture, but you did not nullify it. In this case the claimant her honor/dignity was harmed." The judge did indicate that, if she does not alter her provisional decision, the damage claim would be significantly lower than €10.000.

She wants to give the involved parties 1.5 weeks extra to come to an agreement outside of court. The odds of that happening are slim. The mother does not want to enter in a dialogue with the school board anymore. The situation has escalated to the point that the mother moved her kids to a different, Islamic, school.
The school board considers her damage claim of €10.000 disproportional. According to the mother it's not at all about the money, but about 'equal opportunity'. "Especially when it concerns children. I hope the school learns from this incident." If both parties do not agree to a compromise the court will decide on June 12.

What are your thoughts? It's unfortunate that the school planned the yearly photograph during the religious feast, it's not a public holiday and I do think the school made the effort to include the Muslim kids by scheduling it early in the morning and having another photograph 3 weeks later. Sure, not a professional one, but it's not hard to have 20 kids gather around the teacher, having the tiny ones sit on a bench in front and the tall stand in the back, before snapping a static and boring picture (which is 99% of school pictures).

[Bakis]

'Equal opportunity' - places kids in an islamic school.
Okey..

[Nutri]

I can't translate not being on a school photo into €10.000 of 'damages'. That's just plain silly.
I don't see the school as being wrong, since it is still a fact that this day is not a officially recognized holiday. Period.

Even the Netherlands is starting to go towards the American 'I'll sue you for whatever I can' practices it seems.

[Dismembered]

All this stress because of a photo? lol

[RyanEX]

If it's not a state recognised holiday it's your own damn fault if you miss out on something.

[caervek]

€10 isn't all that much really, I wouldn't pay it if I was the school though.

[MrTharne]

[ "Do you have any idea what it's like when your 5 year old daughter, upon entering the class room every day, looks at the class photo and asks 'Mommy, why am I not on this photo?' You can't explain this to a kid", the mother sobbed during a court session yesterday. " ]

Oh yes, you can explain it. "Mommy and Daddy are imposing their views and beliefs on you, that's why you're not on the photo."

[Tommi]

Hmm, maybe I should start a religion, and get my sister to keep my niece off school during these photo things. We can then claim "damages"!!

[socialmaker]

If you can indoctrinate your kids with religion you can explain why they are not part of the photo.

[Cuppy]

The majority of the Muslims took that offer. The mother did not comply because she, her husband and her kids, were present in the mosque for the traditional morning prayer.

Here, ladies and gentlemen, we have a case of "I will not make compromises" since

The majority of the Muslims took that offer

[Deleted]

It's like this whole scam is a B-class itch.

[Fibh]

Easy solution. Expel the children for staying home on a day that's not recognised as a public holiday because of their silly cult's beliefs. There you go, they no longer need to be in the photo.


[Infracted]

[karumayu]

It was the parent's choice that they could not spare a couple of hours to get their kids to school for the photo session. Practice your religion in the private and if it impedes on your activities involving others, maybe, just maybe try to make concessions yourself instead of asking the others to accommodate you.

[Azadina]

Here, ladies and gentlemen, we have a case of "I will not make compromises" since

Yup. Opportunity was given, and they didn't take it. Useless to cry about discrimination.

But honestly, I think it's more about the money, and then use that as the excuse to move the kids to religious school.

[Ryme]

"you can't explain that to a child"

Urm, try: you weren't there when they took the picture.

[Deleted]

There are always people who tend to think they're somehow privileged over orthers. And even to get hurt over their religions sake. It's her choice to be in such agreement with religion. No one is forcing her. Except maybe her family members.

[primalmatter]

She can demand anything. Yielding to her would make them cowards however.

[Adolecent]

In the Netherlands the law doesn't grand one the right to such amounts. And the little payments for damage one can get, never in these cases, are extremely low.

Showboat case, will be dismissed as soon as it comes for a judge.

[Deleted]

It's one of those things that should be easy to accommodate. Specially in countries with Christian tradition, since the passage we celebrate is both Biblical and Koranic.
Personally, I never skipped school on lamb festivity day. But most teachers were aware of it and make some comment, and some would even make a point to explain what the celebration is about and have other children relate to other cultures.
Scheduling a photo event under those circumstances seems a bit insensitive. I don't know how that demand could go in the Netherlands. Just pointing out that I'm skeptical of the school's willingness to find a suitable solution. Lamb day is not just some weird date that barely anyone knows about: scheduling around it should have been the preferred option.

[Super Kami Dende]

It's not a Public Holiday, therefore she chose to keep her kids home from school on a school day, therefore her own damn fault.