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Religious discrimination row over black leaders 13/4/11
A row over teaching pupils about black Christian role models has cost the Comhairle
£2,400 in an out-
David Michael, from Great Bernera has received £1000 compensation offer, plus £1400 for legal costs, from Western Isles Council after he alleged he suffered religious discrimination by council officials who dealt with his complaint.
Mr Michael, who is believed to have lived in South Africa during the apartheid period, wanted the tiny primary school in Bernera, which his eight year old son attends, to stop portraying Nelson Mandela in a positive light, according to the council.
He objected over school’s lessons on Martin Luther King, the black church minister who played a pivotal part in tackling segregated America under the struggle for equality with whites.
Mr Michael, described as an atheist, was apparently annoyed about how they may be featured in religious lessons received by his son’s class.
He lodged a complaint with the Comhairle but his unhappiness over its handling evolved into the main thrust of the row.
The council has not accepted liability but says it made the payment as a cheap route to dispose of the legal action before lawyers bills escalated.
The Comhairle insists it should not be forced to change lessons because of the stance of one parent.
A council spokesman said: “The Comhairle agreed to settle a court action by this parent on purely economic grounds.
“The cost to the tax payer of having a civil hearing in court being far in excess of the cost of settling the action.
“It is worth noting that this started because the parent objected to the teaching of the RE curriculum, particularly the teachings about Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela whom he doesn’t think are suitable role models.
“He also questioned whether Nelson Mandela should be portrayed in a positive light.”
He added: ““Whilst the Comhairle respects parents’ beliefs, and in this case has been flexible and accommodating, the Comhairle was not prepared to alter the curriculum at the demand of a parent who expressed such views.
The Comhairle absolutely denies any allegation of discrimination.
“The Comhairle maintains that the beliefs of the parent have always been respected.
“The Comhairle remains committed to ensuring the best possible education for children in the Western Isles whilst being sensitive to the faith (or no faith) of parents.”
Mr Michael said the black role model issue was a minor part of his concerns.
He said: “I objected principally to a sentence in my child's school report when he was five years old in which it was reported that he had been given lessons on 'the effect of faith on notable personalities' and Luther King was mentioned as an example.
“I submit that this was quite inappropriate for a five year old.
He highlighted the heart of the row was about the way in which the local authority dealt with his complaint.
Mr Michael said: “It ignored memos from me, it ignored a formal complaint from my solicitor, it ignored a request for information from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. It ignored a request to supply us with my son's school records.
“In short, it adopted a policy of management by ignoring. When it added to all this the requirement that a senior director had to be present at any meetings between me and my son's head teacher we had little option other than to issue a summons.”
Mr Michael explained he expressed concerns to the school about taking the pupils to a bible exhibition but the response indicated ”if I wanted to withdraw my son from RE (and I had not requested such withdrawal) he would also have to be withdrawn from all assemblies and Christmas activities.”
He added: “Just imagine the effect on a young kid of being withdrawn from Christmas activities. This was complete nonsense and had no basis in law, which specifically forbids teachers from victimising children whose parents withdraw them from RE.”