Christian school may not require Muslim pupils to shake hand

http://www.nisnews.nl/public/240507_2.htm


THE HAGUE, 24/05/07 - The Equal Treatment Commission (CGB) has ruled that a Christian school may not require Muslim pupils to shake the teacher's hand. Pupils can however be required to attend school camp, newspaper Nederlands Dagblad reports.

De Rank primary school in Schoonhoven wanted to specify in its code of behaviour that pupils and their parents were required to shake hands with the teacher on arrival at and departure from information evenings. This cannot however be required of Muslims, even by a school like De Rank which is statutorily recognised as Protestant.

The CGB advises the school to specify in its code of behaviour that "mutual respect will be indicated with a handshake on arrival and departure or - if a handshake is objectionable for religious reasons - in another respectful way." Around 25 percent of the pupils at the Christian school are reportedly of Muslim origin.

The school can require pupils to participate in school camp. The CGB could not discover religious objections to travel. The school already allows pupils to bring their own halal food to camps. Additionally, they do not have to stay overnight, providing their parents collect them and bring them back, according to CGB. Its rulings are non binding but most survive if tested in real courts.
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