The fifth graders of a school in Germany were forbidden to drink in class because there are three Muslim children in the class who are fasting for Ramadan.
The teachers of a primary school in Germany have forbidden children to drink water in their classrooms, in view of the fact that Muslim students are fasting during Ramadan , reports the German newspaper NIUS, which the international news agency V4NA drew attention to. One of the fathers, whose children attend the affected class, also spoke to the German newspaper.
"At dinner we always discuss how the day went. I asked my daughter what was going on at school. At the time, he said, two teachers forbade students to drink in class because three of the 27 children were fasting. Normally, children have their water bottles on the table and if they are thirsty they can drink in class”
said the father, and then continued:
"We found the whole thing strange. For one thing, fifth grade kids are 10 and 11 years old. But even for religious Muslims, the obligation to fast only applies from the age of 14. And to consider three children out of 24 when it comes to basic physical needs is a strange intervention”.
In any case, the man and his wife encouraged the child to drink if he was thirsty. The school refused to comment on what happened to the press. As you know, Muslims fasting during Ramadan must refrain from consuming any food or drink, including water, during daylight hours.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz opened the fasting month a week ago. In a barely four-minute speech, the politician addressed his fellow Muslims and wished them a blessed Ramadan. In order for all those fasting to feel addressed in his speech, the good news could be read not only in German, but also in Turkish and Arabic.
In Frankfurt and Cologne, the city leaders decided that the cities will be illuminated during Ramadan.
And the writer Caro Wissing published an entire opinion piece on the Internet, in which she explains why the time has come for the German Ramadan . According to the article, there is no question that the Muslim fast from dawn to dusk is part of Germany.
Cover image: MTI/EPA/Ronald Wittek
