Academics

Denmark School Bans Muslim Students From Praying During School Hours

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Muslim students studying at a Denmark school have been banned from praying during school hours by officials.

On her Facebook, Mia Victoria Lunderød Hansen -a student of SOPU Hillerrød-shared a picture of her fellow student holding a sign which read: "New from the director. May one pray at SOPU Hillerrød? The answer is NO!"

School director Inger Margrethe Jensen confirmed the ban. According to her, they had to implement the band due to "some incidents" that required them to take action, the Independent reported.

She said Muslim students have been using the hallways to pray and are clamoring for a prayer room to be built on school property. She pointed out that "religion and education don't' belong together" and that it was unfortunate because they're just adding "more fuel to the fire on Islamism".

According to Hansen however, students at the school don't believe what the officials are doing is right. She said everyone should be afforded equal treatment, and students right now are gathering signatures to make the school change its mind.

The Muslim woman' sister-in-law Maria Fischer Waldorf also disagreed with the ban. She said while religion is a private thing and should not be pushed on anybody against their will, it was also wrong for the school to prevent students from practicing their faith.

MP Alex Ahrendtsen, a member of the anti-immigration Danish People's Party (DF) was earlier reported to police for racist remarks he uttered against Muslims.

In his statement, Ahrendtsen said he was fully backing the school's move to ban prayer during school hours, The Local  reported. According to him, converts "are worse than devout Muslims" and authorities should crack on them because they represent a threat to Danish society.

In May, another school prohibited female Muslim students from entering classes with their niqabs.

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