2ND LEAD - 'Top-Performing Luton School Bans Hijaab'

Icknield High... considered amongst the top performing state schools in Luton which has queues of parents rushing to move to the area in order so that their children can learn there. The row was thought to have erupted after parents of a Muslim girl who was thinking of joining the school asked if she would be allowed to wear a headscarf. It transpired that, pupils at the school are banned from wearing headgear - except turbans.

Head Teacher Tom Ford quoted to BBC Online "I am bemused by the attention the issue is receiving."

This is despite a growing number of both White and Afro-Caribbean females in Luton reverting to Islam and adopting the Hijaab as a consequence. Not to mention a 30,000 plus embedded Muslim community.

Efforts (In France and Germany) to prevent the headscarf appearing in the public sphere have raised serious questions about religious tolerance, and fuelled the ongoing row about the relative benefits of integration as opposed to multi-culturalism in an age of 'Born in Britain' children of Post-colonial immigrants.

In Germany, 31-year-old teacher Fereshta Ludin went to the country's highest court to argue that a school was wrong to exclude her for wearing the scarf. "I see my religion as a fundamental part of my identity," she declared. Critics worry that such a law would simply push Muslim girls out of the state system, jeopardising integration.

Indeed, the French admit a countrywide ban on headscarves is targeted at 'extremists' within Islam.(presumption that donning the Hijaab is synonymous with extremism)

So, is this an ideological issue?...thus not race, religion or culture....but core beliefs that govern a person's thinking.

Salma Ahmed writing in the local Luton on Sunday (letters column) demands, 'Do we need to walk around as prosaic clones of each other? restricting diversity & multi-culturalism, stifling our individuality in the process. She continues, 'The West 'abhors lack of freedom afforded to women in the Muslim world yet wants to impose the same on Muslim women here by refusing them the right to practice their religion.' (Bear in mind, Right of religious freedom is enshrined in Human Rights Act of 1998)

‘Mallet on Sunday’ writing for the above-mentioned paper spun some humour with the headline, 'Knotty problem about Headscarves.'

He outlines the Head teacher's stance saying the ban had not been racially-motivated.
Perhaps, more telling was his remark that, "Muslims cant accept that school is about learning, rather than brandishing your religion or faith."

His humour doesn’t abate when he suggests Head teacher Ford "should stand his ground in defence of the policy, though hopefully not to the extent of martyrdom"

Surely, didn’t some of us grow up thinking that education was about discipline, tolerance, learning and understanding other people's values, how other people live, behave, is society meant to adhere to a uniform dress code?

Are we to integrate, even assimilate.........on what terms?........I very much doubt that the government is dictating to us that you have got to dress like the 'natives' in order to be accepted?

Furthermore, one may argue, would you ban Sikh turbans, women adorned with bindis or wearing transparent dresses? (The latter could realistically apply to some teacher's clothing in the summer).............What is the logic behind banning headscarves?

In light of signs of global repression against Muslims....viz. their ideas, values, right to practice their faith, right to run their countries etc. does this not bring our role in society into question ? Why can you not tolerate a headscarf?.....because it’s modesty as opposed to lewdness?....Is promotion of lewdness in society worth sacrificing individual freedom for?

Diversity and tolerance

Abdul Rahim Malik, chairman of the Luton Race Advisory Forum, told BBC, "I am surprised people in education have not learned the lessons of past history."

Luton Council of Mosques (an umbrella group with representation from a cross-section of the Muslim community in Luton) wrote a letter to the chair of governors at Icknield High requesting an explanation for their policy. Their press secretary Dr. Yasin Rehman stressed to me the need for schools to reflect the environment and accept that society is culturally diverse.

Other emphasis which has come to light is that, the problem could be one of perception, viz. the indigenous community see the Hijaab as a threat whereas if they understood the reasoning behind its Islamic underpinning they would see its benefits in helping to decrease immorality and lewdness, which by any societal measure is a cause for concern.

There are of course those who argue it's a matter less to do with individual freedom and more to do with religious dogma.

On the local government front, Lisa Blake speaking to me on behalf of the Chief Education Officer says, “Basically it is a matter for the school governing body/Head teacher and that the LEA (local education authority) would make no further comment.”
Tom Ford/Chair of Governors (Icknield High School) replying to the LCM (Luton Council of Mosques) conceded that, their policy of banning 'headgear' is 'under review'

On that note, maybe there are lessons for us all whatever our ideological persuasion, in that, let us try and be more tolerant of each other and not impose our values, dress code on others and make cheap humour out of it. Rather to engage in thoughtful dialogue in order to achieve harmonious co-existence.