Integrating Immigrant Children into Schools in Europe

Integrating Immigrant Children into Schools in EuropeSome examples of formal adaptation with respect, first of all, to religious holidays not referred to in theschool calendar or timetable are cited in the national contributions.In Belgium (the Flemish Community), legislation provides for absence from school for the ‘celebrationof festivals constituting an inherent element of a pupil's philosophical beliefs if recognised by theConstitution’. Recognised religions or denominations are Anglicanism, Islam, Judaism, Catholicism,Orthodoxy and Protestantism.In Italy, Jewish pupils may refrain from attending school on Saturday if it is a day in the schooltimetable. This arrangement has been established under an agreement between the Italiangovernment and the Unione della Comunitá ebraiche (Union of Italian Jewish Communities). However,there are no agreements of a similar kind with other religious communities.In Germany, pupils may obtain permission from the school supervisory authorities not to attendclasses on religious holidays. The situation is similar in Sweden, in which agreements on how manydays of leave may be granted to pupils are reached at local level. In neither case is there any indicationas to which religions qualify for this kind of leave. The situation is similar in Latvia, in which religiousholidays are observed where necessary in state and municipal educational institutions. In Norway,pupils who belong to a religious community outside the Church of Norway, may on application begranted leave of absence from school on holidays for the community concerned.There are a few similar examples of adjustment with respect to specific educational activities, forexample the adaptation of group activities, such as sports and music.In Germany, compulsory ‘physical education and swimming instruction’ is usually taught in groupsincluding both sexes. However, schools must offer to teach boys and girls separately if immigrantparents so request. If this is not possible, an immigrant child may be exempt from the instructionconcerned. Similarly, in Sweden compulsory ‘physical education and health’ is also usually taught ingroups including both sexes, but schools can choose to teach boys and girls separately, particularly inthe case of Muslims.In Finland it is generally possible for pupils to be exempted from involvement in sports (e.g.swimming), music lessons, school festivities, etc.The daily act of collective worship in schools in the United Kingdom (England and Wales) mustnormally be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character. Most schools should be able to includeall pupils in their act of collective worship, but where, in view of the family background of some or allpupils, the school feels that a broadly Christian act of worship is not suitable, the head teacher mayapply to the local Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) to have the Christiancontent requirement lifted. Parents also have a right to withdraw their children on an individual basisfrom the daily act of collective worship in their school.How the matter of dress codes is handled depends, first, on whether schools require their pupils to wearuniform, or whether there are other official conventions relating to dress.In Ireland, pupil or student dress codes are a matter for individual school managements and, generally,where a religious or cultural requirement is out of keeping with the school uniform a compromise isagreed between the family and the school. Such a compromise might include wearing a requiredgarment under – or together with – the uniform.In the United Kingdom (England, Wales and Scotland) the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000places a specific duty on schools to assess the impact of their policies on minority ethnic pupils, staffand parents. School policies such as uniform/dress codes fall within these general requirements, andschools are expected to be sensitive to the needs of different cultures, races and religions. Schools areexpected to accommodate these needs within a school uniform policy, for example by allowing Muslimgirls to wear appropriate dress and Sikh boys to wear traditional headdress.54