A children’s story based on the tale of the Three Little Pigs was rejected for an award after judges became concerned that it would offend Muslims.
The animated virtual book for primary school children, The Three Little Cowboy Builders, was also criticised for its potential to offend builders.
The row centred on the Bett awards, which were supported by Becta, the Government’s technology agency for schools. The judges’ remarks, reported on the education technology website Merlin John Online, included: “Is it true that all builders are cowboys, builders get their work blown down, and builders are like pigs?
When my daughter was in Grade II (she's now just handed in her Masters dissertation, so it was quite a long time ago) her class and the Grade I class put on a nativity play (it was a church school).
One of the girls in the class was a Muslim, and the teacher asked her if her parents would mind if she took part in the play. She replied, "If they complain, I'll just tell them that they can be glad I'm not the pig". Her part was s a cow in the stable, but what a pig was doing there in a good Jewish setting it is perhaps best not to ask.
In the event, her parents came to the play and enjoyed it.
No comments:
Post a Comment