Comments on: Why Are the Muslims Sitting at a Separate Table?

By: David D.G.

David D.G. — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:26:48 +0000

I can see why the principal made the decision he did; I agree that it was a wrong call, but at least it was for the right reasons, and (if you’ll pardon the expression) “in good faith.”

I really feel sorry for school administrators having to always work their way through minefields of religion and other First Amendment issues with thousands of students every day, just to try to get a day’s educational work done without getting their district sued. I can understand why so many of them always look so stressed out.

~David D.G.

By: Darryl

Darryl — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:37:57 +0000

Aside from the fact that this seems really trivial

It’s neither trivial, nor “really trivial.”

By: Sayler

Sayler — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:16:03 +0000

Aside from the fact that this seems really trivial
There doesn’t seem to be a problem as long as reason that they children were separated out was because they were not eating … not because they were Muslims. That is, if some group of students were to decide to go on a hunger strike to protest something, then they too should also get separate tables. As long as this was the reason, which it appears to be from the way the article is worded, there really doesn’t seem to be any problem at all.

By: Maria

Maria — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:07:44 +0000

I agree with Ryan – separate tables for everybody, or separate tables for no one. This is like those cafeterias and other places that no longer serve pork because there is one Muslim employee who dines there.

I agree

By: Darryl

Darryl — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 22:17:26 +0000

Whoever said things get really complex when religion is involved is correct. On Mike’s side, I don’t see any “undue burden” placed upon anyone here, and I don’t see that the state has a compelling interest in not helping these students if they want it. But, it does potentially raise the “separate but equal” thing. This table does not segregate the students; since it’s a voluntary thing, they’re segregating themselves. So long as something like this does not get out of hand, then it’s their choice. Also, it should be remembered that whenever any recognizably different group sets themselves apart they risk raising the suspicions of some others, and engendering the “us versus them” mentality for some others. Anything that appears to be preferential treatment is a potential problem. Welcome to America.

By: Sudo

Sudo — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:16:03 +0000

huh? So teaching diversity and respect for other cultures is a bad thing?

This isn’t technically ‘teaching’ per se, as much as it is showing the student body that it is permissible for certain groups to have special set-sides for that particular group only.

Giving special rights to Muslims or other groups except Christians also feeds the persecution complex of the Christian right. By setting aside tables specifically for Muslims but not Catholics, you are essentially proving they’re correct- it isn’t about establishing a truly secular society, only an anti-Christian one.

By: theDentist

theDentist — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:14:21 +0000

nyeehhh… who cares?

By: steelman

steelman — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:38:30 +0000

geru, your point is well taken. The teaching of diversity should not be done through segregation, and official reinforcement of peer pressure toward that end. Separate but equal is a flawed concept, lets not go down that path again. You start labeling tables, and you fast approach the breaking point of that zero sum game. How many special interest groups need to exist before there’s no group of which they’re supposedly all a part?

I think diversity in this country ought to mean pluralism, in that groups are free to form their own, private organisations, with everyone enjoying the same, secular civil rights. When it comes to shared, public resources, however, we all need to share rather than begin marking out our own territory. A healthy diversity is not about an administration backed staking out of separate Muslim, Christian, Republican, Democrat, etc. territories on school property. That only reinforces an us versus them mentality, something that already happens enough among the adolescent student body.

By: MikeClawson

MikeClawson — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:51:53 +0000

It just doesn’t seem like a good idea to be emphasizing cultural differences to young students,

huh? So teaching diversity and respect for other cultures is a bad thing?

By: geru

geru — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:00:07 +0000

Ugh. Seems everything always get so complicated when religion is involved. Like the simple procedure of finding a solid level surface to put your tray on. Mix in religion -> lawsuit!

And it’s even more stupid considering that we’re dealing with a school cafeteria. This of course sound like something that was demanded by the parents, or implemented by some overzealous school official, certainly this wasn’t something the students had thought of.

It just doesn’t seem like a good idea to be emphasizing cultural differences to young students, especially in cases like segregation during ’special time periods’.

“No no Billy, you’re a Jew, you don’t sit with the other kids during this time of the month.”

Just doesn’t sound healthy.