Four primary schools in London have told its students that they will not be permitted to fast during the holy month of Ramadan without special permission from school administration. The headmaster of Barclay Primary School – one of the four schools – Mr Wright, revealed the new rules in a letter to parents, in which he cited health concerns as the primary reason behind the ban. “Previously, we have had a number of children who became ill and children who have fainted or been unable to fully access the school curriculum in their attempts to fast” read the letter. “We have sought guidance and are reliably informed that in Islamic Law, children are not required to fast during Ramadan. Although we accept the age of adulthood is disputed….in Islamic law the health of an individual is the first priority.” Justin James, the Chief Executive Officer of the “Lion Academy Trust” – which represents the four schools upholding the ban – later reaffirmed Mr Wright’s reasoning, and confirmed that the ban applied to all schools within the trust. James has since clarified that if a child wishes to fast during school…
