UKC

I'm beginning to think that Nicky Morgan is a bit of a good egg. It isn't often that you can say that about a Tory politician.

In reply to James B:

is this the one about a silly religious club writing to members to remind them of club rules?

In reply to JLS:

This is the one refusing to educate children if their mothers drive them to school.

In reply to marsbar:

If the education is really just brain washing with more club rules then perhaps being refused that education is a blessing.

In reply to JLS:

True. Still not acceptable.

In reply to James B:

Government encourages faith schools.

Government complains when faith schools follow their faith.

Who could have seen that coming?

In reply to James B:

But a statement issued on behalf of women in the sect by a local Belz women’s organisation said they felt “extremely privileged and valued to be part of a community where the highest standards of refinement, morality and dignity are respected”.

“We believe that driving a vehicle is a high pressured activity where our values may be compromised by exposure to selfishness, road-rage, bad language and other inappropriate behaviour,” they said.

“We do, however, understand that there are many who conduct lifestyles that are different to ours, and we do not, in any way, disrespect them or the decisions they make.”

selfishness, road-rage, bad language and other inappropriate behaviour - yup women drivers - but what you going do about it?

The internet would be a much poorer place if it didn't have vids of weird jews doing weird jew stuff, I can't see why this is particularly unacceptable, if we were to have anodyne public behaviour rules then the weird jews would object to much more that we do than we'd find to object in what they do.

But the problem here isn't weird jews, it's muslim extremism. Morgan only has any interest in this case because it's a (private) school and the DofE was supposed to come up with some strategy for combating muslim extremism. Queasiness about tackling muslim extremism meant that we need some anodyne enforcement of generic rules across all schools. If Morgan sees this sort of thing as under her ambit then the ludicrous strategy May is trying to foster support for (which Morgan opposed before the election) could actually gain Cabinet support.

In reply to James B:

It can't be long before you get labelled an anti-semite.

In reply to winhill:
"weird Jews doing weird Jew stuff" is a bit euphemistic. From your press release it appears they are actively promoting sexism and inequality.

If they want to promote good driving, it would be a lot more reasonable to suggest advanced driving lessons.

In reply to James B:

Do the rules band men from driving as well or does it only apply to women?

If just women then maybe they could twin and do exchange visits to Saudi Arabia.

In reply to m0unt41n:

Just women

In reply to off-duty:


It's not my press release but do you mean the school's or the weird women's one?

Conservative women promoting sexism is always a bit of an issue but I think you have to consider it vis a vis the harm it may do rather than the ideological backwardness of it all.

Here the issue isn't sexism it would be religious discrimination, ie if a weird jewess decided she wanted to be a little less weird but not move her kids from the school and was caught behind the wheel so the kids were refused entry. She isn't being discriminated due to gender but due to lack of religious conviction.


It's nothing to do with driving standards it's about protecting the group identity of the sect.

In reply to winhill:


"Yours" as in "the one you quoted". So the weird women's one I guess.




I agree - the reality is that "women can't drive because we think god says so" so to try and disguise it as some kind of "driving is harmful" type reason is very weak - because straight away they are suggesting that women are less able to handle the "emotion" etc of driving than men. Hence my accusation of sexism.

In reply to James B:

Is that the woman minister that often looks so like Clare Balding, that I am persuaded to think Clare has taken up politics as well?

In reply to JLS:


Seems a bit much to criticise this silly faith related rule, when the politicians go along with, and even criticise , with a religious zeal, other MPs for simply clapping in the chamber.
If you enforce your own 'silly rules' , why should any other group listen to you when they just want to follow there's ?
Perhaps a little bit of reflection on their own behaviour is needed, so they can be taken seriously.

Personally I'm against faith schools altogether without exception, I live in the West of Scotland, and that is the one thing that sometimes makes me dispair that I want to leave.

In reply to winhill:

I think its sexism dressed up as religion myself.

Religious choice is all very well, but these women were born into a religion that is more than just religion, it is identity and family.

I would argue that they don't have the choice of religion and knowing that the religious leaders are being sexist, and threatening the women with consequences for their children if they don't comply.

Similarly women in Saudi Arabia don't choose to be Muslim.

Meanwhile elsewhere Muslim and Jewish women drive. Women not driving is f all to do with religion and everything to do with the misuse of religion to stop women being equal and free.

In reply to James B:

This is the same bastion of equality that voted against gay marriage presumably that was also "completely unacceptable in modern Britain"?
Also fun fact in last parliament she was minister for women and equality. After she voted against gay marriage she lost the equality post. I am the only one that thinks that made her the minister for straight women?

In reply to marsbar:

Theres plenty that leave. Difficult path but many do, probably easier in the U.S. or Israel. Have a google around. Fortunate to have had a lot of interaction with Hasidic people (both men and women), no more nutty than fundamental christians / born again / Jehovah's Witnesses etc just a lot more visible. The conversations about theology that inevitably happen its difficult not to roll your eyes, but totally sincere and believe it or not very humble and a great sense of humour. Its a pretty complex worldview and there's plenty there to be admired. I've got no idea about particular sects although there are two or three main ones in Stamford Hill. I'm a feminist so have nothing to say about all men/women bollocks that all religions promote - CoE only just to grips with women priests and homosexulity for christ sakes and its seen as a beacon of progressive christianity....

D

In reply to James B:

The solution is clear. Remove all religions from all schools. One is fiction void of any proven evidence. The other is a place of fact and education. The two should never meet.

In reply to Dauphin:

I suppose what I meant is that being in is the default situation when you are born into it, and leaving is a very difficult choice.

Lots of religions to some degree seem to think that keeping women down is a good idea.

In reply to marsbar:

Yeah. That was my point as well. But both men and women leave it as difficult as that is.

The quote from the Hassidic spokeswomen sounds as infantilized as the ones agreeing with not driving or voting in Saudi, sure its for your own protection...question is should the government legislate against traditional cultural stupidity? Maybe they want to try and stop male circumcisions while we're at it. I'm all for that. Or maybe we could try and do something apart from hot air about female genital mutilation first?

D

In reply to James B:

On the positive side, a reduction in the number of parents using their cars for the school run is good news !