No dads allowed

Published on February 8, 2007 in Parenting. 4 Comments By Joanne

Check out the debate raging at Crooked Timber over a Dutch policy of excluding fathers from city-sponsored play groups for preschoolers. The rationale is that women from minority groups that believe in gender segregation (i.e., Muslim immigrants) will participate only if there’s no risk of encountering male adults. The Dutch government wants to prevent the social isolation of immigrant women.

4 Responses to “No dads allowed”

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Darren
February 8, 2007 at 6:32 am

I support tolerance and inclusion. But to exclude in the name of inclusion?

George Orwell, where are you?
Andy Freeman
February 8, 2007 at 7:35 am

If the Dutch want to “prevent the social isolation of immigrant women”, they have to stop said women from avoiding places where they might encounter men.
wayne martin
February 8, 2007 at 9:08 am

A couple of weeks ago there was a story on the BBC news WEB-site about a police cadet graduation where an Islamic woman refused to shake the hand of the Police Superintendent, who was congratulating each newly commissioned officer. She claimed that it was “un-Islamic” for a woman to touch a man. Questions abound as to how a police officer of any religion was going to be able to function without touching other people (such as male suspects)?

A similar matter occurred in an English town recently where the public swimming pool was shut to non-Muslims, so that women could swim in the absence of non-Islamic men.

In the fall of 2006, The Dutch government announced plans for legislation banning full-length veils in public places and other clothing that covers the face — putting the Netherlands at the forefront of a general European hardening toward Muslim minorities

Itâ€™s clear that conservative Islam is incompatible with western culture. Countries like Holland could be overwhelmed unless it demands assimilation of all immigrants.
jonjon
February 8, 2007 at 12:24 pm

What about single dads?