Barcelona denies the alleged ban on music and dancing in schools during Ramadan

Barcelona City Council clarifies the controversy over the school guide to Ramadan. Music and PE are not being banned in classrooms. The document aims to foster coexistence and prevent misunderstandings. Find out what the guide actually says.

The recent publication of a municipal guide on Ramadan in educational centres has sparked concern and debate in Barcelona. Many parents and teachers have wondered whether the city has decided to limit activities such as music or dancing in schools so as not to make those celebrating this Muslim festival uncomfortable. The controversy has grown on social media and in the media, but the reality is very different from what the most alarmist headlines suggest.

The document, entitled “Orientacions per a centres educatius durant el Ramadà”, does not impose restrictions or remove subjects from the curriculum. Drawn up by the Office for Religious Affairs and the BCN Interculturality Programme, its aim is to provide teaching teams with tools to manage religious diversity in classrooms, especially in a city where half of young people were born outside Spain.

At no point does the guide order the removal of music, dance or physical education during Ramadan. Indeed, the text stresses that all subjects remain compulsory for all pupils, with no exceptions on religious grounds. The main recommendation is for teachers to be sensitive to the possible concerns of some families and, if they consider it appropriate, to be able to adapt activities on occasion to promote inclusion, while always respecting the right to education and compliance with the curriculum.

Another aspect clarified by the guide is the role of schools in relation to fasting. It is not for schools to monitor whether children comply with Ramadan or not. If a pupil decides to eat or drink, the school must respect that decision and always prioritise the child’s health and wellbeing, activating the usual protocols if it detects any physical discomfort.

As for absences for religious reasons, the possibility of missing class to attend Friday prayers or celebrate Eid al-Fitr is not a municipal novelty. These rights are set out in Law 26/1992, which governs cooperation between the State and the Islamic Commission of Spain, and have applied throughout the country for more than three decades.

Far from being a manual of prohibitions, the municipal guide seeks to prevent situations of discrimination and foster dialogue in classrooms. The City Council supports a model of coexistence in which empathy and common sense allow religious diversity and the right to education to coexist without unnecessary conflict.

Barcelona’s Office for Religious Affairs has been working for years to facilitate coexistence between communities of different beliefs. Its work focuses on advising institutions and citizens on how to manage religious diversity in daily life, from organising festivities to resolving questions in the school setting. This intercultural approach has made Barcelona a benchmark in managing plurality, always committed to mutual respect and genuine inclusion in every area of the city.