Catholic primary school bans four-year-old Muslim girl from wearing a hijab
A uniform row has broken out at a Roman Catholic school near Birmingham, after a four-year old Muslim girl was banned from wearing a religious headscarf in class.
Teachers at St Clare's School in Handsworth asked the girl's parents to respect their strict uniform policy, which does not allow for headwear or scarfs, the Birmingham Mail reported.
The primary school's decision has been widely criticised by the local community, dividing local councillors after the pupil's father took the case to the town hall for debate.
Waseem Zaffar, Birmingham City Council's Labour cabinet member for equalities, said he had met with the school's head teacher and told her the ban was in violation of the equalities act.
He said: “I'm insisting this matter is addressed [as soon as possible] with a change of policy.”
However, his colleague Majid Mahmood said that since it is a faith school, St Clare's is “maybe within its rights to insist upon a particular dress code,” just as a Muslim faith school “may require girls to wear headscarves”.
Dr Mashuq Ally, a former head of equalities for the council, pointed out there is no religious requirement for girls of infant school age to wear the hijab.
“I also would have thought a Muslim parent would have thought very carefully about sending their child to a Roman Catholic school and considered the uniform policy,” he said.
“This should have all been discussed between school and parent, not been dragged into the public and political arena.“
The religious habit of Roman Catholic nuns typically consists of the following elements: White coif: This is the garment's headpiece and includes the white cotton cap secured by a bandeau and a white wimple or guimpe of starched linen, cotton, or (today) polyester to cover the cheeks and neck.
Basically the nuns wear a hijab. Maybe the 4 year old girl should call her hijab a "Coif"
For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. (For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.) That is why a woman ought to have a veil on her head, because of the angels....If any one is disposed to be contentious, we recognize no other practice, nor do the churches of God." (1 Corinthians 11:3-10,16)
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
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