I don’t consider myself a racist...

[caseysmom]

It has nothing to do with race. Not all Arabs are muslim, not all muslims are Arab.

good point.

[RICHARD]

Edit* Well, whether they wear their scarfs ot not, their husbands still won't allow them to go - because there would other men present. Aren't there men present when they go shopping!? I'm just happy that I wasn't born in a muslim country!

I worked with a Phillipina woman who lived in Saudi Arabia, dated and married an America black soldier.

On a date she had to have an 'escort' and was also forced to wear the head cover, too!

She was miserable there.

[moosmom]

[Miss Z]

It has nothing to do with race. Not all Arabs are muslim, not all muslims are Arab.

A very good point.

Randi,

I attend a sixth form college with a moderately high population of Pakistani Muslims. This thread got me thinking, and I believe that I see less Muslim mothers turning up to events like parents evening now than I did when I was in the first year of secondary school, nearly 7 years ago. (The sixth form is part of the school, so same place, same people, etc.)

I've been fortunate enough to sit down to dinner and attend lectures with Justice Secretary Jack Straw, and something that he once said really stuck in my mind. He believes that the popularity of more radical practices of Islam have undergone a 'boomerang' effect.

In other words, the initial immigrants to arrive and settle in the mid 20th century came looking for work. They needed to impress potential employers, not to mention keep a relatively low profile, as racism laws were not what they are now back then. They were more willing to accept a Westernised state of living.

Nowadays, stricter Islam is undergoing a revival, and I'm sure he said there is some significant correlation between the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq and the number of burkhas worn by women. There is a greater sense of Western oppression against what Islam stands for, and therefore people do not want to conform.

Of course, only a theory, and only put forward to explain trends in the UK, but I wonder if something similar could be applied to Denmark?

[momcat]

The quality of education and the issue of bullying are serious problems just about everywhere. Both are hot topics here in New Jersey. Randi, the position taken regarding the parents' meeting about school bullying is disturbing. To effectively discuss and work towards resolving any problem in schools requires the involvement of all parents. The "elimination" of an entire group of parents (fathers) because of reluctance to offend another group is not only wrong, it's counterproductive.

There are no easy answers or solutions to bullying in schools. There was a situation here recently where the students doing the bullying were minority students so it can go in any direction. This is why each and every parent should attend, so all thoughts and ideas can be heard. How many workable ideas, thoughts, and recommendations were never presented because of this position?

For the students and the fine people of Denmark, I hope this meeting was opened to all parents.