A Muslim mother was turned away from a school parents' evening for her son because she was wearing a full-length veil.
Police were called when the 34-year-old refused to leave Our Lady and St. John Catholic Art College, in Blackburn, Lancashire, which she attended herself.
The comprehensive school operates a policy which requires anyone entering the building to remove specific headwear for identification purposes.
She claims the problem first surfaced at a parents' evening two years when she was told she was not allowed into the main hall while wearing her niqab.
The full veil, which covers all the body except the eyes, is worn by a minority of Muslim women in the UK as part of their religious beliefs, to protect their modesty from men.
The woman, who does not wish to be named, said: "I explained that I was willing to take off the veil in front of the female teachers, but not the male teachers.
"A year later the same thing happened when I went to drop my son off at the school. Then this week at a parent's evening I signed myself in and saw two teachers in the library as I was not allowed in the main hall.
"Then I got asked by a senior member of staff whether I was aware of the school's policy on identification."
Since the issue arose in 2007, the school's policy has been amended to include full veils with items such as hoodies and crash helmets that have to be removed before entering the building.
The woman claims that had she been made aware of the change in advance, she would not have enrolled her son at her former school.
She added: "The whole situation has upset me and I don't like going to the school any more because I always leave crying.
"I can understand that people should be identified but I am just a normal person trying to lead a normal life. Why should how I dress make a difference?"
A spokesman for Lancashire Police confirmed officers were called to the school, but had taken no further action.
Colette Gillen, the headteacher, said the school was rated as "outstanding" by Ofsted for community cohesion, care and guidance.
She said whilst it was acceptable for women to wear veils on a one-to-one basis at meeting, difficulties could arise when people were wandering around corridors or rooms.
A Blackburn with Darwen borough council spokesman said it was for individual schools to implement dress policy, including the wearing of veils.
The town became the focus of national attention in 2006 when its MP Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, suggested the wearing of veils could damage community relations because they were a "visible statement of separation and of difference".
At the same time Aisha Azmi, a 24 year old teaching assistant, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, was suspended for refusing to remove her veil in lessons in case male colleagues saw her,
She later lost an appeal against an employment tribunal's decision that she had not been discriminated against on religious grounds.
Her employers, Headfield Junior School, insisted face-to-face communication was essential in her role as a bi-lingual support worker.
Re: Muslim mother excluded from school parents' evening for wearing veil
No the school did not do the right thing when they would have given the child a place within the school his forms would of shown the childs religous background.....................
The mother may not have been able to send her son to another school therefore had no choice to place him into a catholic school which is totally irrelevant that the child and his mother have been treated this way...............discrimination.
The woman can take this further and the whole thing could go to court, this is suppossed to be a multi-cultural society........ Schools are there to teach regardless of sex, colour religion etc etc.... Yes if you want to send your child to a religious school............. then that is your own perogative...........
format_quote Originally Posted by Whatsthepoint
the school did the right thing.
And how can a woman religious enough to wear the niqab ever enroll her son in a Catholic school?
Re: Muslim mother excluded from school parents' evening for wearing veil
format_quote Originally Posted by Zahida
No the school did not do the right thing when they would have given the child a place within the school his forms would of shown the childs religous background.....................
The mother may not have been able to send her son to another school therefore had no choice to place him into a catholic school which is totally irrelevant that the child and his mother have been treated this way...............discrimination.
The woman can take this further and the whole thing could go to court, this is suppossed to be a multi-cultural society........ Schools are there to teach regardless of sex, colour religion etc etc.... Yes if you want to send your child to a religious school............. then that is your own perogative...........
Well the whole point is that all garments partly or entirely covering the face are banned.
Re: Muslim mother excluded from school parents' evening for wearing veil
format_quote Originally Posted by The Ruler
It wasn't the right thing to do. If it was for identification purposes, was her son bring with her not enough? (I'm supposing that he was).
She said whilst it was acceptable for women to wear veils on a one-to-one basis at meeting, difficulties could arise when people were wandering around corridors or rooms.
This is just one case, I am for the banning of niqab in all public places.
Re: Muslim mother excluded from school parents' evening for wearing veil
The school has good point for their stand on this matter, given all the security lapses in schools in the recent months.
But they should allow leniency on case-to-case basis. the lady was already willing to unveil in front of female staffs.
Re: Muslim mother excluded from school parents' evening for wearing veil
format_quote Originally Posted by Whatsthepoint
the school did the right thing.
And how can a woman religious enough to wear the niqab ever enroll her son in a Catholic school?
i think you have grasped this better than many people, she obviously observes some parts of the religion of the creator but leaves others out of neglegence or ignorance.
Re: Muslim mother excluded from school parents' evening for wearing veil
How can u say that? How can you pass judgement so easily???? Do you know the sister? Do you know what her circumstances are maybe she does not want her son to go to a Catholic school but has no choice................ Her son is there for an education............. Parents evening is for parents to see the teacher who is responsible for her child throughout the day............. our school doesn't turn parents away on the basis of what they are wearing we are there for the welfare of the child....................
Parents evening is a different scenario, the woman was not there during the time when lessons would be given but there in the evening amongst other parents................
format_quote Originally Posted by Dawud_uk
i think you have grasped this better than many people, she obviously observes some parts of the religion of the creator but leaves others out of neglegence or ignorance.
Re: Muslim mother excluded from school parents' evening for wearing veil
Greetings and peace be with you Dawud_uk;
she obviously observes some parts of the religion of the creator but leaves others out of neglegence or ignorance.
Maybe there are no local Islamic schools nearby, she seems passionate about her faith, maybe there was not much of an acceptable choice open to this lady.
I have a great sympathy for both the school and the lady, probably ten or twenty years ago this would not have been an issue. It sounds like she would have the same kind of problem in any other UK school apart from an Islamic one, people seem to live in fear now.
My feelings are that she should comply with the rules of the school in order that her son gets a good education. But I also feel that she is fully entitled to campaign, gather support, think creatively and to keep challenging the rules. Could a room by the reception area be made available for any meetings with her son and teacher; so she does not have to wonder through the corridors? Maybe there are compromises acceptable to both parties, but she would have to find them because she wants the rules changed.
In the spirit of praying for justice in an unjust world
Re: Muslim mother excluded from school parents' evening for wearing veil
education is compulsory in the uk, school is not. there is an alternative for most families if we are just willing to work hard and look after our kids education ourselves.
Re: Muslim mother excluded from school parents' evening for wearing veil
format_quote Originally Posted by Dawud_uk
education is compulsory in the uk, school is not. there is an alternative for most families if we are just willing to work hard and look after our kids education ourselves.
Education is compulsory in the UK; residing in the UK is not compulsory.
Re: Muslim mother excluded from school parents' evening for wearing veil
Hi Thinker,
format_quote Originally Posted by Thinker
Everybody has choices; she could choose to live in a country with a culture which is more in tune with her own.
It's all too easy to sit behind a computer screen and say who should or not should reside in the UK. In practice, it's not as easy as simply choosing to live in a different country. Perhaps, like me, she was born in this country and is not in a financially suitable position to be able to move.
"I spent thirty years learning manners, and I spent twenty years learning knowledge."
Re: Muslim mother excluded from school parents' evening for wearing veil
format_quote Originally Posted by Osman
Hi Thinker, It's all too easy to sit behind a computer screen and say who should or not should reside in the UK. In practice, it's not as easy as simply choosing to live in a different country. Perhaps, like me, she was born in this country and is not in a financially suitable position to be able to move.
First let me make my position ABSOLUTELY clear; I welcome anyone of any race, colour, culture or creed to live in my country so long as they abide by the laws, customs and culture of the country and try hard to live in peace and tolerance with the indigenous population. With regards to suggesting someone might be happier living elsewhere, I make those suggestions only when it appears that someone cannot live with the laws, customs and culture of the country and want everybody else to change to the way they want it to be.
Re: Muslim mother excluded from school parents' evening for wearing veil
Hey! Not everyone this is just one case!!!
We don't know the specific circumstances with regard to this womans predicament.......just jumping to conclusions. I was born in the UK and am a teacher of English for the last nine years. I am just very surprised that the school did not make allowances given the circumstances............
My nephew attends a Catholic school because that is the only one available within catchment, and he is very happy there. The school also respect that he is a Muslim child and make allowances........... In fact there are many children there from different religions, Jewish, Seikh, Hindu........ and the children are all taught to respect each other......... The lady has not committed a crime or broken any British Laws to the way she dresses.......What happened to people being there for each other and supporting each other??
She is not enforcing her dress code onto anyone. Simply doing what is right for her and her beliefs................
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No the school did not do the right thing when they would have given the child a place within the school his forms would of shown the childs religous background.....................
format_quote Originally Posted by Whatsthepoint
format_quote Originally Posted by Whatsthepoint
format_quote Originally Posted by Dawud_uk
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