Court Overturns Gender-Mixing At Saudi Primary Schools

Saudi Arabian primary school kids almost got the chance to study together- well, not quite, since the boys would have had separate buildings. But even this was too much for parents to bear, many of whom balked at the idea of young boys mingling with their little girls at the same school. When they heard of the decision, mums and other custodians descended upon one all-girl school, the Al Abrar School in Medina, in a show of protest.

“They [mothers] continued to pack the school for most of last week after that school got approval by the Ministry of Education allowing it to have boys…the report gave rise to rumors through some websites that the boys have been moved into the same classes where the girls study,” the paper said.

It quoted the school’s head, Noha Surour, as saying the problem had been caused by rumors that the school would allow gender mixing.

“They were wrong because there will be no sex-mixing in classes.…we reassured them that the boys had been moved into a separate building and separate classes…they will use separate toilets, separate canteens and separate gates…we received approval from the Ministry of Education to admit boys until the second primary class and we are the first school in Madina to do so.”

However, they needn't have worried since the decision by the Ministry of Education to allow co-education- for the first time ever- was short-lived.

The Administrative Court in the capital Riyadh criticized the Ministry of Education for taking such a move, saying it should have examined its actions before issuing that decision, according to Saudi newspapers.

“The Court annulled the Ministry’s decision, saying it had erred in making such a decision, which was wrong,” Alsaudeh daily said.

“It said the Ministry should now work to redress this wrong action, which has no legal basis in the religion and the system.”

Easy come, easy go.

They still have so far to go to catch up to the 21st century.  So, Saudis will continue to promote gender segregation, and the people will continue to be screwed up.