The Odense municipality plans to send a group of Muslim women to Danish classes in the Vollsmose Church in Odense. And that's a bad idea, think councilors Mohammed Mansour and Anna Rytter. They fear that the women will be scared off if the classes are in a church.
"Regardless if we want it or not, many of the women that the project is aimed at, live isolated from Danish society. And they will find it hard to take classes in the church premises. Contrary to the intent, there's a risk of pushing away the women," says Anna Rytter to Fyens Stiftstidende newspaper.
Mohammed Mansour also thinks that the municipality missed the point by choosing the church as the place for classes.
"Activating is good, but this here is completely wrong. Education of immigrants shouldn't be mixed together with religion. It should on the contrary be conducted on neutral ground like a language school or a cultural center," says the social-democrat.
Jane Jegind, responsible for Children and Youth, who together with Erik Simonsen, responsible for social issues, is behind the activating project, rejects the criticism. She stresses that the classes will not take place in the church hall.
She told the newspaper that she completely agrees that the Danish Church shouldn't get involved in this project, but that's not the issue. The Vollsmose Church owns empty premises that fit what they need and that's all there is to it.
Source: Kristeligt Dagblad (Danish)
"Regardless if we want it or not, many of the women that the project is aimed at, live isolated from Danish society. And they will find it hard to take classes in the church premises. Contrary to the intent, there's a risk of pushing away the women," says Anna Rytter to Fyens Stiftstidende newspaper.
Mohammed Mansour also thinks that the municipality missed the point by choosing the church as the place for classes.
"Activating is good, but this here is completely wrong. Education of immigrants shouldn't be mixed together with religion. It should on the contrary be conducted on neutral ground like a language school or a cultural center," says the social-democrat.
Jane Jegind, responsible for Children and Youth, who together with Erik Simonsen, responsible for social issues, is behind the activating project, rejects the criticism. She stresses that the classes will not take place in the church hall.
She told the newspaper that she completely agrees that the Danish Church shouldn't get involved in this project, but that's not the issue. The Vollsmose Church owns empty premises that fit what they need and that's all there is to it.
Source: Kristeligt Dagblad (Danish)
1 comment:
I was JUST in Odense! Exciting! :)
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