Muslim Students In Australia Want Colleges To Reschedule Classes To Fit With Prayer Time

[Rage for Order]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23269447-12332,00.html

International Muslim students, predominantly from Saudi Arabia, have asked universities in Melbourne to change class times so they can attend congregational prayers. They also want a female-only area for Muslim students to eat and relax.

But at least one institution has rejected their demands, arguing that the university is secular and it does not want to set a precedent for requests granted in the name of religious beliefs. La Trobe University International chief officer John Molony said several students had approached the Bundoora institution about rearranging class times to fit in with daily prayers.

"Some of the students would prefer that lecture times were organised so it would be easy for them to attend prayers," he said. "But it wouldn't be a good precedent to set."La Trobe University International College director Martin Van Run said that although it was involved in discussions with the Muslim students who had made the requests, the university was not planning to change any timetables.

"That would seriously inconvenience other people at the college and it is not institutionally viable," he told The Australian. "We are a secular institution ... and we need to have a structured timetable." Mr Van Run said that Saudi students were fully aware that the university was secular before coming to study there. "They know well in advance the class times," he said.


more at the link

I agree with Mr. Van Run. The students knew the class times well before enrolling in the university. They can either select class times that don't conflict with their prayer times, or they can attend a different university.

[annabanana]

1. I hope that, not only do they not accede to these requests.. but that they

also schedule classes on Saturdays & Sundays...

[dsc]

9. I have attended college classes on Saturday

and even on Good Friday. I don't know about Aussie colleges though.

[Thothmes]

11. I always liked Saturday AM classes, particuarly labs.

[Lost-in-FL]

2. That would be no different than teaching Intelligunt desine in our schools, n/t

[Skittles]

3. crock of shit

:thumbsdown:

[jody]

4. My students always started praying when they read the first question of my exams. n/t

[Lost-in-FL]

7. LOL

:rofl:

[A HERETIC I AM]

5. Ummmm...No.

Sorry.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AX10]

15. I do not like either of those faiths.

These ingrates should be greatful that Australia has freedom of religion unlike those cest pools of repression in the middle east.
:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

[Sarah Ibarruri]

17. I agree with you nt

[AX10]

23. kick

:hi:

[texasleo]

8. waaaah... We can't oppress women in peace... waaaah

:nopity:

[idovoodoo]

10. They OUGHT to be grateful to be in a country where the government won't have their heads cut off

for not obeying idiotic religious customs.
:eyes:

[sam sarrha]

12. build a club house for them and Hang a sign on it for them.. NO BITCHES ALLOYED, i dont think so..

[RFKHumphreyObama]

13. OK....I can't believe I have to do this but a little perspective here please

The Australian is a right wing Murdoch-owned paper that, while nowhere near as bad as the Murdoch-owned tabloids, is still prone to biased reporting and media beat-ups and has not been shy from time to time of publishing newspaper reports/columns distorting and misrepresenting the position of members of the Islamic community. Too many here are taking everything they read here in this paper at face value

[GreenPartyVoter]

20. Good point. Thanks for bringing it up

[Matariki]

14. Female only? Surely there are no Saudi women studying there?

[Iris]

18. are you serious?

[Matariki]

21. Saudi women can't drive and can't travel unescorted by a husband or male relative

so I'd be surprised to find many Saudi women studying abroad. I could be wrong.

on edit: here's some 'pleasant' reading: http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL12894106

[originalpckelly]

16. Let them schedule their classes around their prayers...

leave the rest of us out of it.

[GreenPartyVoter]

19. Seriously, they seem to be asking a bit much

[BoneDaddy]

22. When is enough enough?

I hope the university does not give in. Another irrational culture asking for special treatment.