Slovakia: Romani children segregated from others during lunch

Romani children attending a primary school in the East Slovakian town of Medzilaborce are not permitted to eat lunch in the school cafeteria together with everyone else. Several angry local parents have drawn attention to the situation. The school director says the reason is that some Romani pupils do not know how to eat with cutlery and eat with their hands instead.

The Slovak Education Ministry says the director has broken the law. "This decision is, in our opinion, a violation of the law, which clearly bans all forms of discrimination, especially segregation, not only in schools but in school facilities," ministry spokesperson Michal Kaliňák said.

Alexander Černega, local council member, complained that Romani children "don’t even know how to hold their cutlery and come to school very dirty". Some non-Romani parents have also expressed similar generalizations, claiming Romani children are "unmanageable" or that "spitting in the plates happens every day".

After Slovak television station TV JOJ broadcast a report drawing attention to the case, the school board convened. Non-Romani parents expressed their unequivocal support for the director. "If the small cafeteria for inadaptable Romani children is closed, I will consider withdrawing my children not only from lunch, but also from the school," said parent Ladislav Mulík.

Children are currently continuing to eat separately at the school, but the management is allegedly trying to find a compromise to satisfy both sides. "Should parents be dissatisfied with the way the school cafeteria is run, they should bring it to the attention of the school founder," said Renata Vítková of the Slovak Education Ministry.