In Switzerland, shaking a person’s hand is taught from a young age as it is seen as a sign of respect. A custom in the country, children shake hands with their teacher at the start and end of class, and adults do the same at business meetings and social gatherings.
But while it may seem like a simple, ordinary gesture, it is not so for one school near Basel.
Two Muslim boys are refusing to shake their teacher’s hand as physical contact with a woman outside their home is against their religion. However, the school in question has said they must shake the hands of female teacher or their parents will face a fine of 5,000 francs (€4,500).
Following uproar in the school in Therwill after the boys refused to shake hands, they were given a temporary waiver from shaking any teacher’s hands.
However, according to the Independent, Canton officials informed the school that parents should face a significant fine and the pupils punished in a “necessary and proportionate” manner if they continued to disobey school rules.
According to a statement issued by the Department of Education, Culture and Sport: “A teacher has the right to demand a handshake.”
“The public interest with respect to equality between men and women and the integration of foreigners significantly outweighs students' freedom of conscience (freedom of religion).”
