Refugees Daily - Internal Global Press Review

Refugee children have reportedly been ordered to use separate toilets at a school in Italy after parents of existing pupils claimed they posed a "health risk".

Two children from Egypt and Ethiopia, aged nine and 11, were told by teachers to use separate bathrooms following claims from parents that their children risked "contracting diseases", according to La Stampa.

Despite being shown medical records that showed the children were in good health, two families reportedly took their children out of the school when the refugees were enrolled, while several others threatened to do so.

The private Catholic school in Cagliari, Sardinia, reportedly put separate toilets in place for the refugee children. The carers of the children, two lawyers who took them in after they lost their parents while making the sea crossing to Italy, said they were shocked by the segregation.

One of them, Antonella Taccori, told La Stampa: "During recess our children were immediately isolated, and it was not only because they are still not able to speak Italian. The behaviour of the other kids obviously reflects what they have heard at home... We hope the school will integrate the toilets again." The other carer, Marina Bardanzellu, said: "This does not happen when a child has a cough or cold. The health concerns are hiding real racism."

This year, from January to June, more than 10,500 unaccompanied children reached Italy by sea.

THE INDEPENDENT

The number of unaccompanied children who reached Italy by sea between January and June this year 10,500