Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Parents complain about hijab ban |
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| Moe |
| 10/24/00 at 20:58:23 |
| Parents complain about hijab ban By Abdul Adil http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/137/137-1-1.html Colindale Primary School in north-west London, is not allowing Muslim children to wear the hijab. At the moment it is not within our uniform policy, Head Teacher Ieuan Renowden, told The Muslim News last week. The complaints against the school has been highlighted by the parents of two pupils, Zaynib Khashjori and Roaya Habib. Mrs Khashjori told The Muslim News that she had asked the Head Teacher two years ago if her daughter could wear hijab when she comes of age. He told me he would not allow it, claimed Mrs Khashjori. When she asked a parent governor about this, she was told to go and talk to the Head Teacher. Mrs Khashjori claims that since she raised this issue, teachers don't even talk to me. She is afraid of what will happen to her daughter. I feel bad about this because I am scared about my daughter. Zaynib is also scared and told me not to take any action, she adds. Habib claims he had discussed the issue of the hijab three years ago with the Head Teacher who told him that the school did not allow the wearing of a headscarf. In 1996, two of his daughters were refused places in the school because they were wearing the hijab, Habib alleged. Another daughter, who began wearing the hijab in school, was transferred to another school three years ago. He claims this was due to the hijab ban at the school. He says it was very difficult for me to understand why they are refusing my daughter to wear the hijab, I believe this is racism. Ieuan Renowden said he had not received any complaints. I do not know who these girls are, he added. However, he told The Muslim News that the school governors will be discussing the matter. The next meeting of the schools governors is in November. Councillor Alison Moore of the London Borough of Barnet, who is responsible for education, said in a statement faxed to The Muslim News, the rules governing of school uniform is the responsibility of the governors and that it is unusual for Muslim children in Barnet's primary schools to ask to wear headscarves. When the Head Teacher and the Barnet Council spokesman were reminded of the Department of Education and Employment (DFEE)'s guidelines to the schools and LEAs on being sensitive to religious requirements, both said they were not aware of such a guideline. However, Ieuan Renowden responded: There is a difference between a guideline and a legislation. The DFEE said the case does not come under its jurisdiction. However, he read out the DFEE guidelines: They (schools) should be sensitive to cultural and religious requirements when setting their uniform policies. Schools are expected to behave reasonably and consult parents on school uniform matters. Khui Foundation has taken up the matter with the Head Teacher. Director of the Foundation, Yousif Al-Khoei, has urged Renowden that in accordance with her (Zaynib) parents' wishes and imperatives of their faith, Zaynib be allowed to wear her headscarf in school. |
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