Italian School Principal Defends Mosque Visit for Primary Students
Quick Look
- Ancona school principal Andrea Sallese defended a primary school's visit to a local mosque, calling it an intercultural educational experience.
- The visit drew criticism from the Lega party, who labeled it an "ideological initiative" imposed on students.
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Why It Matters
The principal of the Grazie Tavernelle comprehensive institute in Ancona, Andrea Sallese, held a press conference to address criticism from the Lega party regarding a visit by primary school students to a local mosque. The Lega party had called the visit an "ideological initiative."
ANCONA, 25 MAG - "The visit to the mosque is an educational offering by the teachers and falls within the school's autonomy, we have not violated any rules, it is part of teaching and the students' families were all informed. It is an intercultural experience, proselytism is not practiced." Thus the school principal of the Grazie Tavernelle comprehensive institute in Ancona, Andrea Sallese, explained today in a press conference the decision to take the students of the Maggini primary school to visit the Fratellanza mosque, in Baraccola, the city's Islamic center.
The decision attracted criticism from the Lega party. Last Tuesday, in a note signed by Silvia Sardone, deputy secretary of the party, and Giorgia Latini, deputy and regional coordinator of Lega Marche, they spoke of "ideological initiatives imposed on students". The two exponents had also observed that "in the absence of an agreement between the State and Muslim communities, there are no prerequisites for visits of this type".
After clarifying the choice of mosque visits with the Regional School Office, Principal Sallese explained: "these initiatives were already in place before my arrival in September 2024" in a school where "students of Islamic religion exceed 30% of the enrolled". Moreover, the opposite also happens "that on educational trips, foreign students visit churches". The school principal speaks of a "free and secular" school: "I cannot think - he concluded - that the school has been used for political propaganda, therefore I invite the two exponents to come and visit us and to get to know our activities better".
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Open Questions
- What was the specific content of the educational program during the mosque visit?
- What was the reaction of the students and their parents to the visit?
- Has the Lega party made similar criticisms of other intercultural school activities?
- What is the current status of the 'understanding between the State and Muslim communities' mentioned by the Lega party?
