A Brussels municipality elementary school addressed a note to parents of children practising Ramadan, saying it could not be held responsible if fasting children became faint or sick during school hours.
"In order to avoid any problem, we ask that you fill out the following form if you authorize your child to fast in school," the note reads. "In that case, the school takes no responsibility if a child became unwell."
The succinct nature, of the note, obtained by RTBF, raised questions over the school's intentions, prompting the news site's source to question whether it meant the school would not intervene if a student became faint — which would constitute a violation to the duty to rescue, mandated by Belgian law.
The school, situated in the Brussels municipality suburb of Laeken, acted independently from municipal authorities, according to Public Education Alderwoman Faouzia Hariche.
The director of the city's Department of Public Education, Charles Huygens, told RTBF that the school's administration would be contacted about the issue.
He added that a note will be addressed to elementary schools in Brussels to remind them that these issues should be addressed by schools in a "responsible and pedagogical" manner.
Observed by Muslims worldwide, Ramadan, which among other things requires adults in good health to observe fasting during the daytime, started on May 6.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
