A Somali headteacher in Portland, Maine, has raised religious objections to allowing dogs in classrooms. He also said that the imams he had spoken to did not want dogs as pets in classrooms.
The school administration is now considering changing the rules after a teacher asked for permission to have puppies in the classroom.
Dr Abdullahi Ahmed, assistant superintendent responsible for engagement with pupils, families and the local community at Portland Public Schools, raised the issue during a meeting of the school’s policy committee on 14 October, reports Fox News.
It was National Desk News that published the video of Abdullahi Ahmed discussing the plan to ban dogs.
Ahmed explained that certain Islamic traditions regard dog saliva as unclean. He said he had consulted local Muslim religious leaders, who were opposed to keeping dogs as pets in classrooms, according to The National News Desk.
The background to the discussion was a teacher at Ocean Avenue Primary School who wanted permission to have puppies in the classroom. The pupils were to be given the opportunity to interact with the animals during reading sessions and playtime.
Ahmed suggested that the dogs could possibly be kept in a separate room to accommodate pupils and families who have religious objections to them.
He emphasised that Muslim communities are not opposed to animals in general.
“In Islamic tradition, there is always love for animals and living beings, and compassion for animals,” said Ahmed.
– Show consideration for your Muslim neighbours; don’t let your dog out to do its business
He went on to explain that certain Islamic traditions have religious rules regarding purity.
– That said, there are certain ritual notions of purity in Islamic traditions. For example, dog saliva is considered impure, he said.
Ahmed also added that some people have had negative experiences with dogs in the past.
Ahmed was born and raised in Somalia, according to Fox News. According to his biography on the school district’s website, he speaks Somali, Arabic, English and Urdu.
The committee discussed whether new rules should apply only to dogs, or also to other animals in the classrooms. They also raised the possibility that pupils and families could choose whether they wished to participate or opt out of being near the animals.
The committee did not vote on any rule changes during the meeting on 14 October.
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