Members of Sydney’s Sikh community have defended their children’s right to bring ceremonial daggers to school, saying a ban would compromise their ability to observe their faith.
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said she and Attorney-General Mark Speakman were urgently reviewing the operation of laws relating to children carrying knives for genuine religious reasons.“Clearly when an incident comes to light that causes community concerns there are questions about that, concerns that I share,” she said. “We need to have a look at whether that’s still appropriate in a school setting ... to see if any changes to legislation [are] needed.
In Canada, the supreme court overturned a court of appeals ruling that it was reasonable to ban them in schools. The judges decided a ban sent students the message that “some religious practices do not merit the same protection as others”.The Kirpan is one of five implements baptised Sikhs are required to carry. The others are Kesh ; Kangha ; Kara ; and Kachera .
He said students could use many other objects as weapons. “A compass in a school bag, a fork or a knife... Banning this would not help anything other than cause more issues in the community. It is a very unfortunate incident and we feel for the boy who has injured.”
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung Yeh hell to the NO
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung Is there a petition going around asking for a bsn on carrying weapons in the name of religion? If not its time this is done, enough with the government’s vote bank politics 😡
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung This is also cultural
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung Pandering to religious crackpots at the cost of community safety
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung Farmers kids should have the right to carry guns to school to protect themselves from snakes in the grass.
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung
secularschools JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung Qld Weapons Act seems 2 prohibit weapons on school grounds, even 4 religious reasons. There shld be no religious privilege in public institutions. Have heard of a miniature kirpan being sewn in2 the hem of the uniform tho as a compromise. qldpol nswpol
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung Not at school. Never!
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung No weapons in school., ceremonial or otherwise. What a stupendous ridiculous suggestion.
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung Let’s carry a gun too….twits stick up and fight with your hands and knuckles!!!
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung The bully tasted his own medicine
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung I am permitted to say that there is only an upside to multiculturalism
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung 👀
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung Should not bring religion and religious to these matter, they are coming to school to study. So carry a Pen 🖊 not knife. They can follow their religion at home not disturbing others. Just make it criminal offence!
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung of course they would why obey Australian laws huh
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung No Australian childs life is worth any religious paraphernalia requirements. That is not discrimination it is life preservation. No child should be allowed to have any knife at school. My god someone will argue shortly a gun is a religious item. Religion secondary to state law.
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung This should not be allowed in schools in any part of the world considering its dire consequences..
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung Wtf? Can't be serious. Should not even be considered.
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung Please, bring back sanity to government & to public expectations of what is right & reasonable. Carrying knives of any kind in public [to school FFS!] is NOT the Australian way. Full stop. If you can't abide by that cultural practice, you can do the other thing. Now would be good
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung That's fully Sikh.
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung I don’t understand why people leave their dysfunctional poverty ridden religious holes to come to Australia & bring with them all the vile things they supposedly left behind. We must declare Australia religion free otherwise we will be faced with the problems France has.
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung Clearly their educational practices are failing horribly if it was used as a weapon. Might need to address that then.
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung The law regarding Kirpans has always been permitted it’s one of the 5 articles of Sikh faith. Only used for self defence and protection of others in dire circumstances.
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung No need for it.
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung As a secular society we should not permit different rules for different groups. A law against carrying guns or knives applies to everyone without exception.
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung This is an example of naive idiots not even knowing the symbols of their faith. It represents the crescent moon. It is the 'blade' that severed Cronus's scrotum. It does not matter whether it is plastic or metal. It is a symbol.... make it plastic
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung ?
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung These daggers just need to be a few centimetres long to be worn in their turbans. Been working on oil and gas facilities in India where this is quite common
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung Imagine coming here and discovering you have to follow the same laws as other Australians. They didn't mention that in the brochure.
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung What ceremonies will they be attending at the school that require ceremonial knives?
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung Sorry, the right for other students not to be stabbed outweighs the religious right to carry a dagger. End of story.
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung Write that down, if it’s aloud there will be a problem sooner then later.
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung As you do
JordsBaker Laura_R_Chung Not in this country, may be in their dreamland Khalistan. Send them home.