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A Sikh
body tells parents not to allow kirpans
A victoria authorities had allowed Sikh children to wear kirpans to
schools but organization cautions community
WSN Network
 Sydney:
Soon after the authorities allowed the Sikh children to carry their
traditional religious symbol "kirpans" to schools in Victoria, the
Sikh Council of Australia, the apex representative body of Sikhs in
Australia, has said the kids should not be allowed to carry the
kirpan.
Bawa Singh Jagdev, secretary of the council, was quoted in media
reports as saying that the wearer or the initiate must understand
its (kirpan's) significance, utility and consequences if used for
any purpose other than what it is meant for.
He
said although the kirpan is an article of the Sikh faith, even then
a child, even if baptized, should be asked to leave the kirpan at
home and go to school, come back and wear it. "The reason being it
can be harmful to the wearer. Suppose two or three boys get together
and remove his kirpan, they can harm him," he said. Besides, any
misuse of the kirpan, even if it is by other kids who may snatch it
from the Sikh boy, will reflect poorly on the community for allowing
the kids to carry the kirpan in the first place.
In
one of the most multicultural countries in the world, it can be a
challenging task to strike a balance between protection of religious
freedoms and the safety of other students.
An
inquiry into dress codes and uniforms in schools in Victoria by the
Education and Training Parliamentary Committee had recommended 'that
the Department of Education and Early Childhood development require
all Victorian schools to accommodate clothing and other items with
religious significance where appropriate, within a framework
developed by the Department'.
The
Committee received a substantial body of evidence, during its
yearlong inquiry, addressing the needs of culturally and
linguistically diverse communities, particularly with respect to
clothing and other items with religious significance for the wearer.
The
hijab (Islamic headscarf) and the kirpan were two of the items that
were repeatedly mentioned. The Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria
in its submission to the Committee said: 'We believe having a common
school uniform is important in promoting school identity and
integration. However, it is also important to recognise that there
is no hindrance to the practice of various cultures and faiths.
Students should be able to wear their significant religious symbols
and articles of faith ... Christian crosses, hijab, yaramulka
(Jewish caps), kirpans.'
Now
reports say notwithstanding the recommendation of the committee,
Victoria's Department of Education is unlikely to allow carrying
kirpans in schools.
19 December, 2007
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