Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

He allegedly asked an inappropriate question about the Prophet Mohammed when interviewing a prospective Islamic Studies teacher. GEMS strikes again! Does anybody know which school? http://en.news.maktoob.com/200900007...ks/Article.htm

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

no idea :)

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

what a great way to take revenge for not getting a job you were interviewing for...

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

you know I thought as well! bet they ganged up and complained

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

Hopefully he will get reinstated once the other teachers at the school hear about it.

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

The excuse of "insulting Muhammed" has been used for eons to punish one's enemies, take revenge or just plain stop people from rationaling and logically analysing the religion.

Back in the 1980s , I recall a story about a heavily pregnant teacher being incarcerated because one of her pupils alleged that she threw the Quran on the floor. She was eventually released from prison only after the Catholic Bishop in AD used what influence he had and it was discovered that the pupil made the whole thing up. But IIRC the woman gave birth in prison !

Now this BS is even encroaching in the West with UN nations trying to push blasphemy laws on Western nations and some Western countries levelling charges against people found to 'insult' religion. Looks like we are going backwards to the bad old days of our ancestors.:frown:

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

I cannot agree more. We are eroding our freedoms of speech and legislating the protection of feelings. No mature and developed culture or society can do that and survive long. It's one thing for Muslims to want that in their own countries but quite another when it's on our doorstep.

It seems easier to cry racist or put people up on trial (Like Lars Vilks for example) for the "crime" of drawing cartoons or even for academic criticism of the "religion of peace". We all know about Theo Van Gogh but people seem to be more concerned today that a mastermind of mass murders like Bin Ladin didn't get a trial than protecting the freedom of expression of Europe's artists and academics. It's almost like a sort of Marxist/Islamic nightmare of legislation is bearing down upon the EU and wider world under the guise of respecting beliefs - I didn't realise belief was something that deserves respect unless it was earned.

I guess all that oil money goes a long way to buy the silence of Europe's ruling elite doesn't it?

N.

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

Doesn't it make you wonder why people who claim to be so secure and confident in their beliefs can be quite so touchy?

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

I assume Repton isn't owned or run by GEMS? ;)

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

not yet ;)

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

According to Expatwoman.com it was 'Our Own Indian' School in Oud Metha. A letter was sent to parents to inform them

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

you still reading EW? :rofl:

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

My guess was a Pakistani school...but hey, somewhat close!

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

No, but Mrs Meldrew is ;)

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

A new principal started work at Our Own English High School in Dubai yesterday after the former head teacher was dismissed for allegedly making an inappropriate comment about the Prophet Mohammed.
Ainsley Edgar, who had been at the school for three years, was said to have made the offensive remark as he interviewed a candidate for an Islamic Studies teaching position last Thursday.
The new head teacher is Aziz Akhtar, the former principal of Our Own Indian School in Dubai. Both schools are managed by Gems.
"A complaint was made recently against Mr Edgar following a panel interview for a teaching position. An allegation was made that the principal asked an inappropriate question that related to the candidate's religious belief," Ralph Tabberer, the chief of schools of Gems Education, told parents in an e-mail.
The matter, said to be a misunderstanding, had been cleared up but Gems management and Mr Edgar agreed he should be replaced because of "the sensitivities of these matters in the region".
Gems denied reports that Muslim teachers at the school had refused to take classes after the incident.
"Respect for all religions and cultures are values that are embedded in all Gems schools," said a statement from the school. "Gems has therefore relieved the principal of his responsibilities."
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority said the matter was being investigated.
:thumbdown::frown::confused::curse:

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

Are you Ainsley?

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

No he is John

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

He deserves it, if any one doesn't respect others relegion and the country he is living in, he should leave the country

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

what do the words 'our own' or 'model' signify when added, as they often are, to school names?

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

I assume you aren't British, if we took that attitude towards some of the non Christian community in Britain there would be a mass exodus

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

You shouldn't start a racism issue, regardless of the race, religion or culture, all must respect each other, especially when it comes to prophets like Mohammed, Jesus & Moses, no one has the right to critisis them, this is not "democracy and opinion freedom"

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

What if you dont agree with aspects of Mohammed's actions or views? Surely everyone has the right to voice opinion?

We live in a free world John the baptist; wake up and broaden your horizons.

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

what do you mean by 'respect'?

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

I do agree with you that everyone has the right to voice opinion, but I don't think that when God have choosen these prophets made a mistake !!!, God new whom to choose and without mistakes. But let us not mix issues here, if few Christians, moslems or Jews made mistakes, that doesn't mean that they have learned these things from their relegions!!!, if any opinion is translated in a positive way ( NOT AN INSULT) the other part may accept it, and may start a discussion in a respectable manner.

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

Basically obeying rules of the country, accepting the fact that you are dealing with an environment having certain relegion or habits, not insulting them, dealing with people in the right manner especially when it comes to sensitive issues, for example don't live in an African Country and say that we prefer the White Race over the Black ones as they are smarter !!!!

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

space cadet alert.

My religon is Jedi...im off to Chewbacca.

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

List of things I must remember not to mix

3 out of 4 can be avoided by staying away from religion. The last one can be avoided by living in Saudi

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

A noble and fair statement...of course that means you agree that probably half the Muslims in Britain should be leaving or does respecting religion and local culture only apply to Muslims?

N.

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

Of course, we need to remember that those zealots who demand respect for their beliefs are using the word 'respect' incorrectly. Respect generally has to be earned or deserved. What they are referring to is blind acceptance or suffer the consequences. Why am I supposed to respect their beliefs if they refuse to respect mine (which are rather less harmful)?

I'll ask a similiarquestion to one I posed earlier in this thread: If any religious zealot is so confident and sure of their beliefs why do they respond so aggressively when questioned on them?

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

some fictional book(s) from the middle ages should not dictate what people are and are not allowed to say!

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

:thumbup:

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

Not to mention the fact that Islam itself became soo widespread precisesly because it did not respect other culturess religions. And ofcourse the Quran also disrespects other religions.

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

Your statement is totally biased. All Abrahamic religions have the same oppressive past, all this because of how human race interpreted religions anyway can’t be bothered with another useless debate especially when Norm is around :D. Sorry, I know I got myself involved so mercy please!!!

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

And what if someone does not believe in your god? What if they believe in something else or in no god or gods at all? Will they be forced to "respect" your beliefs because they are so fragile you cannot handle criticism? Even academic criticism?

Blasphemy is a victimless crime...only one religion seems to consistantly have a problem with any kind of criticism against it. Only one religion actively seeks the death penalty for people who speak out or leave it. How can any respect be given to a system that seems to have the same rules as the Mafia?

N.

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

It isn't biased because I didn't exclude other Abrahamic religions . I didn't include them as the discussion is about Islam. I agree that it is an Abrahamic issue but racism and intolerance is also found in Hinduism. I would like to add though that the difference between Jesus and Muhammed is that later was a warlord and the former did not advocate use of force.

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

You didn’t give the former the opportunity to fully convey his message ;)

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

Judaism is an Abrahamic religion but Jews haven't been in a position to "oppress" for quite some time. Quite the contrary they were the oppressed for most of their history.

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

Eh?

Various people have described Christianity as a wimpy religion compared to others. They're probably correct. Lots of happy singalongs and hand holdings and potted ferns on the altars.

In all seriousness, the biggest divide between the approaches of Christianity and Islam can be boiled down to one of Jesus' teaching (or saying): Give unto Caesar what is Caesar and give unto God what is God.

Implicit message: Church and State are not one and the same. That there are other institutional roles in a society that doesn't have to be "religious." The history of the West has long been one of a struggle between Church and State over power, but other than a handful of city states the West never had a true theocracy. Even in the darkest, most religious periods of medieval age, Church and State were always separate and often at odds with one another. What does it mean? The western thinking has never seen the Church as the sole, dominant force in society. Powerful, yes, influential, yes, and there were times when the Church and State were rather close, yes, but we always had...options.

By contrast in a typical Islamic society the State is the religion. Every institution in the society from top to bottom is infused by the religion which is why so many Muslims still don't separate religion from anything else (or even consider its possibility). We don't think of air as separate from life, for that'd be a daft observation, and that's how traditional Muslims see religion.

Anyhow, back to Jesus. I'm no great believer but he is a fascinating person from a historical and even philosophical perspective. His teaching is absolutely one of peace and forgiveness. It's too easy to focus on the fundamentalist Christians but most of mainstream Christianity is pretty progressive and liberal (within reason for some, beyond reason for other churches), and most of the socialist movements in Europe has strong roots in Christian movements of the 19th century.

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

Much as I hate to agree with you on anything, I think you are quite right. ;) I've emboldened one of your paragraphs as I think that encapsulates why we have difficulties understanding one another. To many Muslims, religion isn't part of life, it is life and they do not accept any other viewpoints.

Re: Dubai School Principal Sacked
 

I can give you plenty of references from Bible to prove otherwise. Don’t get me started Pal. I prefer to stay away from commenting on the interpreted garbage comes out of the priests of all faiths and ignorant fannies live in today’s world.

Sadly the true form of any religion doesn’t exist anymore or at least I have not seen any representation in the last 31 years.

I am an admirer and a follower of Abrahamic religions but use my own common sense and rely on my findings than an interpretation by a paedophile in white or terrorist mullah. In short, I despise ‘Hate Preachers’!!!