Kuwait parents reject music classes as un-Islamic, 'Satanic'

[Nagishkaw 510]

Parents have protested against government-funded music classes outside a Kuwait city school, calling the courses "Satanic," a regional daily newspaper reported Monday.

"Music is not part of our tradition and religion, and we totally reject it," Qatar's Gulf News quoted parent Salih al-Khalid as saying. "What will our sons gain from learning this Satanic course?"

Other parents said music had no benefit and elicited the wrath of god.

The issue of music education has been a hot topic in Kuwait, with Islamist lawmakers pushing for a total ban on such studies in school.

Mohammed Hayef, one such legislator, said music education would lead to schools becoming breeding grounds for dancers. He has threatened to push a bill through parliament to enforce a ban, saying the classes were forcing the Gulf state to undergo "Westernization."

Kuwait, while still promoting mandatory music education in its school system, has bent the rules towards the conservatives in some respects, including separating men and women at concerts and prohibiting dancing at such events.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1128534.html