Teachers at Derby school ordered to wear Hijabs

towerstowers Posts: 12,183
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I've just read this in our local paper 'The Derby Evening Telegraph' and if it's true - especially the BIB - it's a rather worrying situation, both regarding free schools and the number of Islamic extremists in the UK. The government has really got to keep an eye out for things like this because if female pupils ARE being treated differently to the boys, it's a trend that might increase in future years.
WOMEN teachers at Al-Madinah School in Derby claim they are being told to cover their heads and shoulders with a hijab – an Islamic scarf – whether or not they are Muslim. This is one of several complaints made by staff to their unions at Al-Madinah School, which is currently under investigation by the Education Funding Agency for alleged irregularities over its grants.

A member of the teaching staff told the Derby Telegraph that women were being told to sign new contracts that say they must wear hijabs and that girls are told to sit at the back of classes. Two non-Asian women, who refused to comment, were spotted taking off their hijabs as soon as they were out of sight of the school during the lunch hour.

Nick Raine, regional NUT officer, said he was "very worried" about the school and the education of the 200 children there.
He said: "It's one thing to have a dress code which we can challenge and quite another to build it into a contract."
It is understood that the new contracts for staff also include rules about not taking non-halal food into the school and not being allowed to wear jewellery. Mr Raine added: "There are worries over practices concerning the discrimination between male and female pupils in the school, with the girls being told to sit at the back of the class regardless of whether they can see the board properly."

Andrew Cutts-Mckay, who has left after less than a year in post, said at the time that the school was being set up so that "the timetable will be flexible with time for Islamic teaching but pupils will be able to opt out of this and there will be a chance to learn about other faiths".

Sue Arguile, branch secretary of Derby National Union of Teachers, said: "This school was first launched as based on Muslim principles and not as a Muslim school.
"If the school is not sticking to the original reasons behind why it was set up, then it does call into question whether public money is being used properly and for its intended purpose."
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Comments

  • pickwickpickwick Posts: 25,739
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    Pretty dodgy - especially the bit about girls having to sit at the back, though I can see why the media is focusing on the hijab aspect.

    The upside of this sort of thing, I suppose, is that it might prod us into getting rid of all faith schools. I'd take that as a win, overall.
  • Flat MattFlat Matt Posts: 7,023
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    Another fine example of multiculturalism and integration.:rolleyes:
  • big brother 9big brother 9 Posts: 18,147
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    Muslim only schools?
  • dekafdekaf Posts: 8,398
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    Flat Matt wrote: »
    Another fine example of multiculturalism and integration.:rolleyes:
    Muslim only schools?


    So it would seem.
  • James FrederickJames Frederick Posts: 53,184
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    pickwick wrote: »
    The upside of this sort of thing, I suppose, is that it might prod us into getting rid of all faith schools. I'd take that as a win, overall.

    That's something I agree with though if we are to get rid of one type of faith school we should get rid of them all
  • towerstowers Posts: 12,183
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    Whilst I don't have a problem with Muslim women choosing to wear the hijab etc, any kind of forced wearing of these things is definately religious extremism in the making and if the part about girls being sent to the back of the class is true, the mind boggles that this abuse of equality is creeping into Britain already...

    We'll have to see what the outcome of the investigation is, it's possible that the non-Muslim women are making these allegations up but then, they would never have started working at this school if they were racist or Islamaphobic.
  • AdsAds Posts: 37,036
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    Girls made to sit at the back of class? The school is being run by a bunch of misogynists and should be closed down
  • pickwickpickwick Posts: 25,739
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    Although, when I was at school everyone fought to sit at the back. Maybe it's actually showing favouritism to the girls :D
  • TiggywinkTiggywink Posts: 3,687
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    Is this a case of being tolerant with intolerance?
  • tim59tim59 Posts: 47,188
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    I hope the council deal with this, as this is not a school as most people think of, its not in a school building. Its housed in a council office block with other council services it. So these things are happing on council property
  • getzlsgetzls Posts: 4,007
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    Ads wrote: »
    Girls made to sit at the back of class? The school is being run by a bunch of misogynists and should be closed down

    "We seek to inculcate in our pupils the core universal principles of equality, fairness, peace, tolerance and respect for all people"

    This is from the school web site.

    Tolerance and respect eh?

    Only on our terms it seems.
  • DemizdeeroolzDemizdeeroolz Posts: 3,821
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    Muslim only schools?

    It is open to non Muslim children too, just like other faith schools. I live in Derby and my children attend primary and secondary schools that are over subscribed and due to excellent OFSTED and the local secondary school is one of the best in the city.

    I have noticed that none of the Muslim children have transferred to the new Muslim school. My children's classmates who are Muslim have parents who value the academic reputation of the school above their faith.

    I wonder if there would be an outcry if female teachers in a Brethren school were forced to cover their hair ?
  • jesayajesaya Posts: 35,597
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    That's something I agree with though if we are to get rid of one type of faith school we should get rid of them all

    It is about time we did. There is absolutely no need whatsoever for them - if people wish to learn about their faith they should attend outside of school hours.

    In this case I trust that the local authority will compel the school to change any policy which imposes religious constraints on pupils or teachers.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32,379
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    Here is a link to the whole story. There is a reponse to the article from the Principal that doesn't answer any questions.

    http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/Teachers-Derby-s-Muslim-school-ordered-wear/story-19822232-detail/story.html#axzz2fTgHRdMk
  • RhumbatuggerRhumbatugger Posts: 85,678
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    woodbush wrote: »
    Here is a link to the whole story. There is a reponse to the article from the Principal that doesn't answer any questions.

    http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/Teachers-Derby-s-Muslim-school-ordered-wear/story-19822232-detail/story.html#axzz2fTgHRdMk

    Cynical manipulation. I hope the school is shut down.
  • DavetheScotDavetheScot Posts: 16,623
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    It sounds very concerning. My view, like some other posters, is that there should be no faith schools, or at the very least no state-funded ones. But even if there are, both genders should be treated equally in them.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 8,240
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    Interesting letter in The Telegraph under the heading "Wearing the veil is not an issue of religious tolerance or human rights":

    Dr Hargey wrote:
    Sir, It is disingenuous for Muslims to claim that wearing the niqab or burka is Islamic. The requirement to conceal the face does not feature anywhere in the Koran. It is an archaic, aristocratic custom originating in ancient Persia that spread to Byzantium and was later adopted by misogynistic Muslim society.

    Many Muslims have been conditioned to conflate culture with religion and befuddle liberal Britain that this is a principle of religious freedom and human rights when it is neither. It is against Islamic law for masked women to undertake a pilgrimage to Mecca or to perform their daily prayers. If women are prevented from hiding their identity at Islam’s holiest shrine, why is it necessary for them to do so here?

    Britain must join France and Belgium in outlawing all public anonymity. Anything less would amount to sexist discrimination against British men, who are not permitted to conceal their identity in public.

    Imam Dr Taj Hargey
    Muslim Educational Centre of Oxford

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/10316115/Wearing-the-veil-is-not-an-issue-of-religious-tolerance-or-human-rights.html
  • BenllechBenllech Posts: 2,289
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    If I was a teacher there, I would hijabing right outta the place!
  • redtuxredtux Posts: 1,241
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    Free School||
  • skipjack79skipjack79 Posts: 3,250
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    Islam is a horrifically unjust ideology that should be confronted wherever possible. Unless people are happy to see the freedoms and equality that were won via the sacrifice of generations of men, be rolled back without even a whimper, then they should find the courage to object and stand up to the nonsense being spouted from Islamic districts.
  • towerstowers Posts: 12,183
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    skipjack79 wrote: »
    Islam is a horrifically unjust ideology that should be confronted wherever possible. Unless people are happy to see the freedoms and equality that were won via the sacrifice of generations of men, be rolled back without even a whimper, then they should find the courage to object and stand up to the nonsense being spouted from Islamic districts.

    I wouldn't say Islam is much more unjust than the Bible's first testament - it's full of stuff that modern Christians would have to ignore - and many British Muslim women don't even cover their hair because Islam only requires them to dress modestly apparently. The problem could be Muslim men with very outdated cultural views about women, much like the Cathoilic Church's attitude towards women in our ancient past but the worrying thing here is, is this Muslim school with potentially outdated views towards women passing these ideas onto the next generation of Muslim boys and girls?
  • Sorcha_27Sorcha_27 Posts: 138,229
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    towers wrote: »
    I wouldn't say Islam is much more unjust than the Bible's first testament - it's full of stuff that modern Christians would have to ignore - and many British Muslim women don't even cover their hair because Islam only requires them to dress modestly apparently. The problem could be Muslim men with very outdated cultural views about women, much like the Cathoilic Church's attitude towards women in our ancient past but the worrying thing here is, is this Muslim school with potentially outdated views towards women passing these ideas onto the next generation of Muslim boys and girls?

    Why bring Catholicism in to this. This is about islam. Incidentally Catholics did not force teachers into covering their hair nor make girls sit at the back. Islam is about 1000 years behind christianity. The only possible comparison would be during the crusades or the Spanish inquisition.
  • bspacebspace Posts: 14,303
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    Ads wrote: »
    Girls made to sit at the back of class? The school is being run by a bunch of misogynists and should be closed down

    its a muslim school, 'misogynist' is part of the definition
    be interesting to know where they seat any homosexuals

    after years of fighting this crap in 'christian' schools we got rid of it
    faith schools - another triumph of 'new labour'
  • James FrederickJames Frederick Posts: 53,184
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    bspace wrote: »
    be interesting to know where they seat any homosexuals

    TBF you could say the same about any religion for that hell in America gays are not allowed to join the scouts or get kicked out once they know they are gay and that is because the scouts are a religious based group
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,129
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    Don't worry there will be an investigation and found that the people telling the teachers to cover up 'aren't proper Muslims'...seems to be the way with any religion...someone does something a bit rum in the name of their religion: 'Not real <insert religious group here>;
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