[TigerClaws]

The calligraphy lesson requiring students to write, "There is no god but allah..." was, according to the teacher, from a national teaching curriculum.

We now ban Jesus from schools, but require students to learn about Islam?

[Gaffer]

I guess I have a couple of questions and a comment or two:

1) Were boys subjected to the same thing?
2) Were any of the children asked if they wanted them beforehand.

Comment 1: I’m not specifically aware of any close link between Hinduism and Islam. I’d think they are quite different.

Comment 2: I’m quite sure that if Christianity as a whole had a social tradition of marking bodies with henna dye, there wouldn’t even have been an article about this because it wouldn’t have happened.

Comment 3: The parents should have been asked for permission beforehand. It amounts to temporary disfigurement of a child in my opinion.

[rhoda_penmark]

Nothing should be applied to anyone’s child by public schools without permission. Any substance that they come in contact with should be non toxic and should be readily removable using soap and water available on the premises. Anything outside of that should be investigated and staff performance should be documented and corrected.

No need to break it down any further than that.

[Mister Da]

Henna can cause chemical burns.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3200827/Prom-queen-s-horror-holiday-henna-tattoo-leaves-chemical-burns-scarred-life.html

[csvset]

Way back in ‘81, our ship had a port call in Tunis, Tunisia. Some of the locals had henna tattoos.

[Politicalkiddo]

I’ve always wanted to get henna myself. Very beautiful, in my opinion.

[MD Expat in PA]

Ms. Samour told Click 2 Houston that while the family did receive this email from the school, it was her husband who read it and it made no difference as neither one of them had heard of henna tattoos.

Ms. Samour also said that connections she discovered between the Hindu and Muslim faiths were of concern to her when she decided to do further research on the tattoo.

So they got (admittedly her husband got and read) the email from the school saying that they would be doing henna tattoos as part of a lesson about Indian culture but since they never heard of henna tattoos, they didn't think to investigate beforehand or opt out or tell their daughter that she shouldn't get one, but after the fact they had the time to research "connections" between the Hindu and Muslim faiths; the "connections" of which I am unaware, aside from the long hatred of and conflicts between the Hindus against the Muslims. And I see nothing particularly "religious" about the henna tattoos.

The mom seems to be upset that "Especially that Christmas is next week. We have family photos, opening presents, church, and she is going to be wearing that on her hands throughout the holiday," but yet as evidenced in this picture, her 7-year-old daughter is sporting some pretty funky nail colors and designs, some of them rather chipped and cheap looking, but then again the mom might use nail polish remover before family photos and going to church.

With that being said, the school should have had the parents positively opt in via a signed parental permission slip for the henna tattoos, even if only temporary, and given more of an explanation of what it was, other than "we will be doing henna".

FWIW, when I was in middle school back in the mid '70's in Baltimore, my home room and US History teacher got married. She was a great teacher BTW. She met and fell in love and married a US Army Captain who was stationed at Ft. Mead at the time, a native born Hawaiian - i.e. Polynesian. After she returned to school, after her honeymoon, she did a special lesson with her husband on Hawaiian/ Polynesian history and culture. Keep in mind that back then, it was considered an "inter-racial" marriage so she may have had some motivation to dispel some prejudices in our very blue collar Baltimore neighborhood and school that while had both whites and blacks – had no Asians.

But it was cool and not only for our class but for the entire school. Her husband prepared some traditional Hawaiian dishes for us including poi and a pork dish (not Spam) and some sort of chicken and rice dish, all of which were delicious even as I was the only kid who actually liked poi, and as I recall and he talked about growing up in Hawaii and how other cultures – European and Japanese have influenced Hawaii and how US Statehood was a good thing from his perspective as a US military serviceman and as I recall, politically conservative, and he taught us some Hawaiian words and pronunciations, and we listened to some traditional Hawaiian music and watched a short movie on traditional Hula dancing and we made and wore lei's. While this was not part of the "official" lesson plan and syllabus for the year, I don't recall her having to get special parental permission either.

[TheMom]

I’d be ticked off also. That is some ugly henna tattooing.

The multi-cultural festivals have been in schools for many years, and are designed to show kids about the different ways and traditions of other countries. Parents are usually invited to the school on this day.

[Buttons12]

Lie down with dogs, wake up with fleas.

Send the kid to school for brainwashing, get her home with a henna rinse on her hands.

[wintertime]

Another Reason to Homeschool

[wgmalabama]

To all the posters saying no big deal, parents are stupid ....

Put a henna tatto of a battle flag on your kids hands or arm, in the open and get back with me on how the school reacts. Child protective services will be up your ass, police will be called ....

The school is way out of bounds and all the people who think this is acceptable curriculum for a school, your nuts and part of the problem.

[Larry Lucido]

Henna way you want it, that’s the way you need it.

[Morgana]

Before you get your knickers in a wad I have had a Henna tattoo and it fades!!! It will last for about a month and actually makes your skin softer.

[metmom]

ANOTHER REASON TO HOMESCHOOL

This ping list is for the "other" articles of interest to homeschoolers about education and public school. This can occasionally be a fairly high volume list. Articles pinged to the Another Reason to Homeschool List will be given the keyword of ARTH. (If I remember. If I forget, please feel free to add it yourself)

The main Homeschool Ping List handles the homeschool-specific articles. I hold both the Homeschool Ping List and the Another Reason to Homeschool Ping list. Please freepmail me to let me know if you would like to be added to or removed from either list, or both.

[MoochPooch]

We need back Professor Tom Lehrer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAOwYDlEQXo