Can I sue them?

[stealth2]

That’s all I was asking about and I recieved many polite suggestions. I also need to know what my options are too. Like I said him being fired will not fix the problem. The problem itself has to be addressed. That’s why I contacted that other office. Maybe setting up a training lesson about how to deal with situations like this in school.

Yet, if I recall correctly, that is exactly what you said you would like to see happen.

Now, to play Devil's Advocate..... I can see a situation where this teacher has had several (nonMuslim) students try to get out of running bt claiming that they were observing Ramadan. After realizing that the majority weren't actually Muslim nor fasting, he figured that someone not of the faith wouldn't be able to spell it. Unfortunately for your daughter (and him), she was kind of "the wrong person at the wrong time" (i.e. a Muslim student who actually IS observing), and it backfired on them both. I also suspect that when she actually started spelling Ramadan, he held up his hand in an "enough" gesture, but your daughter may have taken it as "in her face".

I wasn't there, but neither were you. And apparently, you have not spoken with any classmates who may have seen it. (when you said you'd provide what a witness stated happened, I thought you meant a third party, not your daughter...) Of course you believe your daughter's account - I would were it my daughter. However, as I often told my kids - every story has multiple sides. The truth is somewhere in between them all.

Now, you, too, can learn from this. Situations arise when we often least expect them. As such, and as parents, it is up to us to think ahead and work towards mitigating them. It would not have been untoward for you to have contacted theteacher/school ahead of time, explained the situation and asked for accomodations (including suggestions for same). We cannot expect every person we run into to know everything about everything - we sometimes have to educate them.

 

[Mfahoum]

From one:
So He told you that you had to run the mile, but you said you were fasting
He put his hand out in your face at some point and said “if you can’t spell it, you’re not doing it.” You spelled it correctly and he said it was wrong and made you run it anyways
You talked to him after school and he said you have to do it again since he didn’t keep track of time

 

[Mfahoum]

From second one: (1/2) basically told mr. that she was fasting and was literally telling it to him clearly that she was fasting and he asked "how do you spell r (2/2) axxx" And when was about to spell it he put a hand in her face.

 

[stealth2]

Again - you would be wise to remove your daughter's name, too...

 

[Zigner]

You need to read the constitution. We have a right to practice our religious beliefs first of all.

Yes

Second of all a make up day could have been appointed.

That may be true, but has nothing to do with the Constitution.

Third he put his hand in my daughters face.

There is nothing illegal, constitutionally or otherwise, with this.

Fourth he made fun of Ramadan our religion.

I don't think he did.

5th he didn’t record her score. Sixth he left students unattended.

Nothing illegal, constitutionally or otherwise, with either of these.

This is the same ass of a teacher who gave my daughters friend an F for a class because she had an allergic reaction in his class and had to go to the nurse. Thank you for being understanding thought. I guess my daughter not being able to breath and feeling dizzy wasn’t a major concern.

Please understand that my response above is not meant to be argumentative, rather, it's meant to give you and idea of the problem areas that need to be addressed.

 

[HRZ]

ITs not exactly an arena without room for debate....in one corner we have fanatics about separation of church and state as it applies to public school issues and in another corner we have those seeking what they consider to be reasonable accommodations based upon religion in the public schools ....and in another corner we have lots of students in need of services but not covered by any special needs or advocates . I don't think we have rooms /time set aside locally for students to meet thier prayer obligations ...but we did have rooms set aside and special bus runs so young parents could bring thier babies to school

I happen to think not2cleverRed has the better suggestions of take the broad concern of reasonable accommodations during the observance of Ramadan to the local school board ...and show up at every meeting until there is action on same

BTW witness accounts may vary greatly...recently our school had a teacher in performance of his duties physically attack by students grandfather in front of mulitiple witnesses ...one participant was Black and the other was White but the trigger issue was the student's eligbility for a particular event. ( sports of course ) even the wisdom of Solomon can be taxed !

And debate arose over some academic activities on Saturdays

 

[stealth2]

The other thing to bear in mind.... Ramadan last 30 days. Physical exertion can be taxing on observant students. As can mental exertion (I'm thinking exams in the afternoon). What accommodations are reasonable? I'm not certain that 30 days of no PE, no exams (especially when we're running up to the end of the school year...) could be considered reasonable. Perhaps asking the school to allow Muslim students to meet PE requirements and/or take exams early in the school day? How has this been handled in the past? As parents advocating for accommodations for our kids, we also need to meet the schools part way w/suggestions.

As a broader discussion.... does Islam provide any accommodations for those not physically able to fast as normally required? I truly don't know, which is why I ask. But, for example, I know that Eastern Orthodoxy (from experience) does. During Lent, we observe more rigorously that many are used to (no meat Fridays) - we essentially go vegan for seven weeks. However, the very young and very elderly and the infirm are given a pass (as are nursing mothers). Would it be possible for your Imam to provide a dispensation to your daughter if, say, exams fall during Ramadan, to have a snack during the day?

 

[Mfahoum]

The kids under 13, pregnant and breast feeding women, elderly, traveling or sick do not have to fast. My daughter can handle the exams just not the running because of dehydration can be deadly. When we fast some time it even helps with exams as it helps us focus. There’s only two weeks this year that she will be in school while fasting and one of those weeks she will have a reason not to fast so it could have diffinatley been made up. I get what everyone is saying though. Can’t help feeling like I have to defend myself and my daughter just because we asked for advice and many where helpful. Others choose to believe what they want.

 

[stealth2]

Can’t help feeling like I have to defend myself and my daughter just because we asked for advice and many where helpful. Others choose to believe what they want.

Not at all. But we don't know what we don't know. And I've always found it helpful to have opposing thoughts presented. As does seeing what might be the other side's perspective.

 

[Just Blue]

The kids under 13, pregnant and breast feeding women, elderly, traveling or sick do not have to fast. My daughter can handle the exams just not the running because of dehydration can be deadly. When we fast some time it even helps with exams as it helps us focus. There’s only two weeks this year that she will be in school while fasting and one of those weeks she will have a reason not to fast so it could have diffinatley been made up. I get what everyone is saying though. Can’t help feeling like I have to defend myself and my daughter just because we asked for advice and many where helpful. Others choose to believe what they want.

If it were the PE teacher posting we would point out "the other side" as well. Don't take it so personally.