Bavarian Schoolgirls Asked To 'Dress Modestly' Due To Syrian Refugees nearby

A Bavarian school has dashed a letter off to parents, warning them that their daughters should dress "modestly" instead of revealing skin, as a refugee camp had been set up near the school, according to rt.

It happened when 200 Syrian refugees took refuge for a week near the Wilhelm-Diess-Gymnasium's gym. It led to the shutdown of the gym, while PE lessons shifted to a primary school nearby.

The head teacher explained the stringent recommendations to the parents: "For the refugees, access to the school gardens and buildings is strictly forbidden. The same goes for the school grounds during the day. The number of teachers on duty during breaks has been increased," Martin Thalhammer wrote.

Moreover, modest dressing is better, he said. "The Syrian citizens are mainly Muslims and speak Arabic. The refugees are marked by their own culture. Because our school is directly next to where they are staying, modest clothing should be adhered to. Revealing tops or blouses, shorts or miniskirts could lead to misunderstandings," Thalhammer added.

The students were also asked to refrain from staring or taking pictures of the refugees, and cautioned that "derogatory or racial remarks won't be tolerated in any way," according to 124news. The school was also forbidden to "direct eyeballing, ogling or taking pictures.

Parents were unhappy over the letter, but one politician who asked not to be quoted, said that the step was "absolutely necessary."

"These boys, who come from a culture where for women it is frowned upon to show naked skin, follow girls and bother them without realizing. Obviously, this is a matter of concern for us," he continued.

"The Syrian citizens are mainly Muslims and speak Arabic. The refugees are marked by their own culture. Because our school is directly next to where they are staying, modest clothing should be adhered to, in order to avoid discrepancies," he said, according to mmo-champion.

Thalhammer also responded to complaints, saying that it is "his duty to look after the children." He wanted "to inform everyone about what is going on at school and what the gym is being used for."

"It was my responsibility to remind everyone that two cultures are coming together here," the head teacher added.

It has been over two years that about 100,000 refugees from war-torn Syria have been ushered into Germany. The number is higher than other EU nations, human rights activists estimate. Now the government is expecting the number to jump to 450,000, which will be a small German record.

About a week ago, there were thousands who visited the pro-refugee strike in Berlin, with about 2,500 supporting immigration and asking how the refugees were being treated.

Yet, on the other hand, the anti-immigration attitude has also reared its head. "The far-right, anti-immigration Pegida party" was ranked fourth in the Dresden mayoral elections in Dresden, winning almost 10 percent of the votes.