A Norwegian teacher has been told he cannot wear the Star of David. Why? It might offend Muslims. This from Aftenposten, with thanks to Scandinavian Infidel and jboxell:
A municipally employed teacher in Kristiansand has been prevented from wearing a Star of David around his neck. Kristiansand Adult Education Center, where the man works, ruled that the Jewish symbol could be deemed a provocation towards the many Muslim students at the school, Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reports.
Not only that: the teacher wears it under his shirt.
Teacher Inge Telhaug said he feels this is a violation of his freedom of speech."I can't accept this. It is a small star, 16 millimeters (0.6 inches) that I have around my neck, usually under a T-shirt. I see it as my right to wear it," Telhaug told NRK.
However, the headscarf is just fine. Aftenposten also reports in a separate story:
Education Minister Kristin Clemet said during question time in parliament on Wednesday that she had no plans to ban the hijab - the head scarf worn by Muslim women that has recently become increasingly associated with Islamism. The Progress Party's parliamentary group agreed Wednesday to propose banning the hijab and the burka from elementary schools.
Oh my - and why isn't the sight of a student wearing the burqa or hijab in the classroom seen as a provocation for this man? or a male student wearing a shirt with some jihadi saying on it - no doubt, that would be permissible as well.
I do hope that this man takes this issue to court, because if the Muslim is able to wear an outward sign of religion, then so should this man.
jihan
Although this article smells like garbage, I should clarify one thing. In the US, anyway, the teachers are required to be religiously neutral. That is why we are not allowed to read the Bible in school, even if it is our planning period and no one else is around. The teacher's symbol could be seen as encouraging students toward a particular faith.
I still smell BS, though.
This is ridiculous. Norway was one of the European countries, the only one, I think, that did not turn over its Jews to Hitler's ovens. How times have changed.
If a prison guard could get fired in the U.K. for saying that he tossed his keys hard down a chute cuz Osama's pix was there, and the powers that be fired him cuz the remark might have offended Muslims in the prison, I don't see why this may not have occurred.
It's great that you picked this one up. I wrote about it on my blog a couple of days ago. Here's a chunk of the post:
If we are concerned that Muslims will be offended because a Jewish religious symbol "can also be interpreted" as standing for Israel, are we not in effect saying that Muslims cannot be trusted to distinguish opposition to Israel and anti-Semitism? Or is it that we know in our heart of hearts that opposition to Israel and anti-Semitism are the same thing? Quite the lesson that Mr. Gislefoss is teaching, if you ask me.
If we are concerned that Palestinians might be provoked under some "transitive property of the Star of David" (i.e., they are offended and provoked by Israel, Israel's flag includes a Jewish religious symbol, so they are offended and provoked by Jews wearing that symbol), why are we not equally troubled by the wearing of the hajib? If Palestinians are entitled to associate the Star of David with Israel, are not Jews (or any of us) as entitled to associate the hajib with the mass murderers who wear them or the dictators who require that they be worn?
Freedom of Religion in the Schools for the Teachers and Staff -
In the school district in which I live, teachers and the employees of the shool system are allowed to wear hijab, star of david, crosses, mandalas as well as read their holy books on their "off" time. The teachers are obviously not permitted to read these things during class with students present, but may do so in the staff lounge or in the office where students are not present.
jihan
hari, you're confusing Norway with Denmark. The Norwegian policed cooperated with the Germans in deporting Jews to Auschwitz