The school didn’t say exactly who would be offended  by an eclipse, but according to this article the school has a very large Muslim population, so I’m guessing that’s the reason.

Via Daily Mail:

Pupils at a primary school were banned from watching today’s once-in-a-generation eclipse because of ‘religious and cultural reasons’, it has emerged.

Parents of children at North Primary School in Southall, London, said they were ‘outraged’ by the decision and claimed it showed a triumph of ‘religious superstition’ over scientific education.

Phil Belman, whose seven-year-old daughter goes to the school, met with headteacher Ivor Johnstone who said he was unable to elaborate on the decision because of ‘confidentiality’.

‘It’s just going back to the dark ages really. My child went in having spent an hour preparing and making up her pinhole camera,’ said Mr Bellman.

This quote from one of the parent is just a tad enraging:

‘This is an issue about scientific matters versus religious superstition. I am outraged — is it going to be Darwin next? We will be like mid America.

‘I asked the headteacher to elaborate which religions and which cultures? But he said it had to be confidential. He referred us to the formal complaints procedure.