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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline APRIL 26, 2024 | The Indian Eye 30

NEWSMAKERS OF THE WEEK

Selected stories about Indian diaspora from our website www.theindianeye.com

ACHARYA LOKESH KATHERINE BIRBAL SINGH

First Indian monk to receive US Principal wins Legal Challenge

Presidential Award over school prayer ban

n Indian-origin school principal, often referred to as “Britain’s strict-
himsa Vishwa Bharati and World Peace Centre founder Jain Acharya est headmistress”, welcomed a UK High Court ruling that upheld her
Lokesh has been bestowed with the American Presidential Award. He Aban on prayer rituals after a Muslim pupil sought to legally challenge it
Ais the first Indian monk to be honored with the American Presidential as discriminatory. Katherine Birbalsingh, headmistress of Michaela School, a
Award. As part of the honor, he was honored with the Presidential Award, “secular” secondary school for boys and girls in Wembley, north London, did
Golden Shield, Certificate of Honor and a citation bearing the signature of not allow religious prayers in keeping with its ethos of promoting an “inclusive
President Biden. The certificate and citation were read by US Congressman environment”.
Brad Sherman. While half of the pupils at the school are Muslims, it also has large num-
US President Joe Biden, in his signed citation, said, “I congratulate you bers of Sikh, Hindu and Christian pupils.
for your contribution to the public good and congratulate you for your service “As the Governing Body is aware, the School does not provide a prayer
to this great nation and humanity.” He also praised Acharya Lokesh’s global room for use by pupils, for various reasons. These reasons include that a
peace efforts, Biden wrote, “By sharing your time and passion, you are help- prayer room would foster division amongst pupils, contrary to the School’s
ing to find solutions to the challenges we face. Solutions we need more than ethos, lack of available space and available staff to supervise pupils and that
ever. We live in a moment that needs hope, light, and love. You are providing pupils would miss important School activities, including during the lunch
all three through your service.” break if they were to spend time in a prayer room,” Ms Birbalsingh told the
court.
“Unacceptable segregation or division, contrary to the whole ethos of the
While appreciating the humanitarian work of Jain Acharya Lokesh, school, was taking place as a result of permitting prayer. An intimidatory at-
US President Joe Biden, in his signed citation, said, “I congratu- mosphere was developing. Our strict disciplinary policies, on which the ethos
late you for your contribution to the public good and congratulate and great success of (the) School is based, were at risk of being undermined,”
she said.
you for your service to this great nation and humanity.” Justice Thomas Linden ruled in the school’s favor, “In my judgment, the
starting point is that the School was right to take the view that the issue was
After receiving the award, Jain Acharya Lokesh in his speech called it a whether to permit and facilitate ritual prayer indoors: in effect, to reverse its
matter of pride to be honoured with the American Presidential Award, ac- longstanding policy of not providing a prayer room,” the judgement read.
cording to the statement. However, he noted that the award has increased
even more responsibility. Continued on next page... >>

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