UK Islamic school closed after making staff wear hijabs

Wednesday, 2 October 2013 9:48 AM

A Muslim school in the UK has been forced to temporarily close following reports that female staff members were fired for wearing Western clothes and girls were forced to sit at the back of classes.

An inspection of Al Madinah in Derby on October 1 by UK schools regulator Ofsted was reportedly so damning that administrators felt they had no choice but to close it immediately.

Recent media reports regarding the school, which receives government funding and imposes strict Islamic principles, claimed that one teacher was made to quit after being she had not dressed modestly enough. Staff members said that they had been told to wear an Islamic hijab, even if they were not Muslim.

In a statement on its website, the school’s head teacher said that it had taken the decision to shut down due to an unspecified “health and safety issue”. “I have taken the decision to close the school to primary and secondary pupils until I am confident that all children are safe on site,” said Dr GS Wilson. “Assuring you that we have your children’s best interests at heart.”

The school had previously claimed it was the first Islamic free school in Britain to cover all ages from five to 16.

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Posted by: diego Sunday, 6 October 2013 1:06 PM[UAE] - chile

although she is non Muslim bt she still have to follow school regulations & dress code. i wont blame her bt i will blame those initially hired her for simple conditions she sign employment contract r they forget to include or she is blind by just signing for financial purpose ........

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Posted by: Iftikhar Ahmad Sunday, 6 October 2013 9:01 AM[UAE] - UK

It s Muslim school. Most jobs have a dress code. If you do not like it, you need not apply. You will never be happy with what Muslims do, you dont even appreciate the act that non Muslims were invited to work in a Muslim school. The dress code is hijab, no one is forcing you to work there take it or leave it. It's a non story yet again. More propaganda that all you middle class moaners fall for every single time. For example, I once had a job in a cafe. The manager didn't want me to wear wrist bands from several festivals I had been to, we disagreed and I stood my ground and quit. That is the EXACT same situation as this, why didn't my story get in the DM? Because it doesn't fit with this(and many other) newspapers agenda of keeping us in a society of fear and hate. You people fall for it over and over again.

Everyone has a right to practice their religion regardless of who funds the education. As a Muslim I am in agreement that the lady's dressing fails to meet the Islamic requirem

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Posted by: Allan Saturday, 5 October 2013 1:06 PM[UAE] - UK

Ali, a private run school does not have the right to discriminate on the grounds of sex or religion - Equality Act. This is not about 'dress codes'.

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Posted by: Mark X Wednesday, 2 October 2013 3:19 PM[UAE] - Argentina

Looks like some people in UK, esp the Authorities who allow such institutions to operate in UK, need their heads examined.

Posted by: Ali Thursday, 3 October 2013 10:16 AM[UAE] - UAE

The fact that it is operating should not be an issue; there are plenty of schools in Muslim countries where girls are not allowed to wear even a head scarf and have to wear knee length skirts, and these schools are run by non-Muslims living in that country

The problem in this UK case is that it was receiving government funding and that is not right. A privately funded school should have the right to have dress codes