Swiss win EU case - Muslim girls must swim with boys

This whole situation seems silly. There is nothing wrong with allowing for single-sex swimming classes.

But also if such a thing is not to be provided then just go to a mixed-sex one.

No wonder people are fed up of the EU when the EU has to deal with nonsense like this.

I don't know why this has become such a big issue of disagreement. I would have expected both the parents and the school to be flexible and be able to reach a compromise.


The parents are not asking for separate lessons or a separate pool to be provided at the school's expense. They are just asking for their children to be exempt from the lessons.

I am quite sure that if the reason for exemption had been anything other than religion, most of the people on this thread wouldn't have had such a problem with it. The parents should have just claimed that their daughters had an extreme phobia of swimming. I don't see the big deal in being exempt from a non-academic school activity.

If the school was uncompromisingly insistent that the lessons must be compulsory for everyone because of the tiny chance they might one day fall into a lake and drown, the parents could equally have compromised by agreeing to the lessons as long as their daughters were allowed to wear something more substantial than a swimsuit.

Since when has freedom of religion meant that every religious requirement must be adopted by a secular state? Switzerland has every right to assess which religious practices go against its liberal and cultural values and thus which to make illegal. Your argument that every religious practice must be obeyed no matter what is absurd.

Good, it's them who have to follow our rules, not the the other way round.

I don't know why this has become such a big issue of disagreement. I would have expected both the parents and the school to be flexible and be able to reach a compromise.

It's an issue because Switzerland won't allow itself to bow down to every demand of a religious minority like most other countries in Europe do. This is also why they ban the building of minarets (voted on in a referendum in 2009).

If they had claimed that, they would be decieving court or lying to someone - I don't like liars.

Sorry but even the ECHR disagrees with you there. Switerland are right not to compromise - if the family don't like it and essentially want gender segregation in lessons, they can leave Switerland and move to a Muslim country - it's that simple.Dont like it? Tough..

As I always say "when in Rome..."

Syria shares a drowning rate with Switzerland and I'm pretty sure swimming lessons aren't their priority over there

This is ultimately a matter for the Swiss unless one can say that the Swiss law interferes with the human rights of the parents or children.

Since when has freedom of religion meant that every religious requirement must be adopted by a secular state? Switzerland has every right to assess which religious practices go against its liberal and cultural values and thus which to make illegal. Your argument that every religious practice must be obeyed no matter what is absurd.

Is this a straight forward ruling or is there a debate to be had whether the parents freedom of religious beliefs were impinged on and essentially told they were being bad parents?

Hmm. How many bodies of open water are there in the famously desertified Syria? Rather fewer than in Switzerland, I suspect. How many Syrians have access to swimming pools? Again, I suspect more Swiss are at risk.

It's an issue because Switzerland won't allow itself to bow down to every demand of a religious minority like most other countries in Europe do. This is also why they ban the building of minarets (voted on in a referendum in 2009).

If they had claimed that, they would be decieving court or lying to someone - I don't like liars.

Sorry but even the ECHR disagrees with you there. Switerland are right not to compromise - if the family don't like it and essentially want gender segregation in lessons, they can leave Switerland and move to a Muslim country - it's that simple.Dont like it? Tough..

As I always say "when in Rome..."

What if the muslims are natives? Do they still need to leave?

I didn't say they need to leave did I?

I said if they can if they would rather live in a country that follows Islamic traditions. If not, they're still
a religious minority so shouldn't be given any special treatment.

And i have every right to laugh at and criticize their decisions and have the opinion that its intolerant and ridiculous

Okay so what I gathered from you so far is you support intolerance towards muslims and you dont care about whether or not other people are happy as long as your needs are met just because you were lucky enough not to be born a minority. I dont ever wanna see you commenting on tsr complaining about certain muslim countries being intolerant towards non muslims.

Of course, I never said otherwise. But your argument that religious freedoms should be unrestrained is an illogical one.

That's not true but believe what you want. The ECHR agrees with me as well .

And supporting not being able to demand gender segregation is not intolerance - it's actually a liberal view.

I'm the liberal in this. I'm against gender segregation, discrimination against homosexuals, discrimination against women etc - not my fault Muslims tend (which can be shown by laws in Muslim countries) to be in favour of all of those.

However - if a Muslim country decided to enforce an alcohol ban for example and banned Catholics from taking communion in their country, I would support that. If the Catholics don't like it, they can leave said Muslim country.

Youre the liberal



Funniest joke ive heard all year

t if the request can be met without any harm being caused then why not do it