DAR AL HARB - U.K.: A 180 DEGREE TURN ON "MOSLEM HEAD TO TOE BAGS" AT SCHOOLS

Muslim leader: 'School allowed veils'

A BUCKS school which banned a Muslim girl from wearing a full veil in lessons has made a U-turn on its dress code because it previously allowed pupils to wear them, an Islamic leader has claimed.

Mohammed Khaliel, pictured right, who has been speaking to the family of the girl, says the barrage of criticism directed at them is unfair because it was the school which suddenly changed its dress code. He says the school had, up until recently, allowed pupils to wear the niqab in class.

Mr Khaliel accused Wycombe MP Paul Goodman of inflaming the situation by saying the family's High Court action could lead to every school in the county allowing niqabs. That claim, Mr Khaliel says, could play into the hands of the British National Party.

Mr Khaliel, 42, said the family's legal argument was solely with the school itself and had nothing to do with setting a precedent.

He said: "This is not a straight forward simple issue.

"This particular school has allowed the niqab and so children have actually been attending the school from the beginning of year seven until they do their GCSEs and A Levels - and left school wearing the niqab.

"The school has been allowing this and now wants to stop it, so what has changed?"

The girl's father is taking the case to judicial review at the High Court on February 8. Neither the girl involved or the school can be named for legal reasons.

Mr Khaliel said that when the 12-year-old girl started the new school year in September she had been allowed to wear the veil, which leaves only the eyes uncovered. He said the school changed its mind in October. Since then, the girl has not attended school and is having lessons at home funded by the school.

He said: "She is not saying she wants to wear the niqab in front of other children. I think she is only wearing the niqab in smaller instances in front of male teachers."

Mr Khaliel said the school had allowed the veils to be worn by pupils even prior to the 1990s. He claimed evidence had shown that those wearing the veil had still performed well academically.

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Pertinent Links:

1) Muslim leader: 'School allowed veils'