A Christian teacher claims she was forced out of a
controversial Islamic school after being pressured to
follow an extreme Muslim dress code, the Daily Mail
reported this week.
According to the British newspaper, women
employees at the Al-Madinah free school were
ordered not just to wear the hijab – scarf – to cover
their head, but to cover the entire body and not
wear symbols of other faiths.
The 50-year-old teacher condemned the school for
being “more concerned about dress codes and not
putting the children’s education first.”
The Derby school drew criticism last week for its
policy of sitting girls at the back of classrooms.
Former teachers say reading fairy tales, playing
musical instruments and singing are all banned.
The Christian teacher, who does not wish to be
named, started work there when it opened as a
multi-faith free school a year ago but left three
months later after she felt the rules had become too
“strict.”
She said she was told nothing about a dress code in
her interview or contract, but a month after she
started the dress code handbook was distributed.
She started by wearing a head scarf or small hat, but
took it off after classes, for which she was
reprimanded. Shortly after that she began being
“hassled” about the rest of her clothing and, on one
occasion, was sent a text from the school saying it
“insisted” on a “modest dress code.”
She said she asked how her outfit – a business suit –
was not modest and wrote to the head teacher
saying she has always dressed in a professional
manner.
“The skirt was well below the knee and I wore thick
black tights that covered my legs,” she was quoted
as saying by the Daily Mail.
The teacher revealed how she was forced to resign
after refusing to comply with a strict school dress
code insisting all female staff wear hijabs regardless
of their religion.
“Wearing the head covering was difficult for me
because I am a Christian and had I known it was
compulsory for non-Muslim staff I would never have
accepted the position,” she said.
“I also objected to the school’s policy of sitting girls
at the back of classrooms, to no avail. The reason
given was that girls are allowed to look at boys but
the boys are not allowed to look at the girls, but how
can that be good for the children’s education?”
The Daily Mail revealed on Monday that, following a
series of complaints, Ofsted inspectors are to be sent
to Al-Madinah “within days” to scrutinize the quality
of teaching and leadership.
This follows reports last week that former head
teacher Andrew Cutts-McKay resigned from his role
after alleging he was “bullied and sidelined” by
members of the school’s trust, which is
predominantly Muslim.
Two months earlier the deputy head, Suzanne
Sutherland also stepped down, allegedly citing
similar reasons. The school strongly denies their
claims.
Another former teacher who spoke anonymously to
the Mail said the school “was like being in Pakistan,”
adding: “Boys go and eat lunch first at lunchtime
www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-4433414,00.html
and then the girls are allowed to go.” And one
woman interviewed for a position claimed she was
told she was not allowed to shake hands with male
teachers.

That school needs to be shut down!

All these because of Religion?? It's pathetic that we have constantly allowed religion to becloud our sense of reasoning. This is religious extremism! There should be moderation. On the aspect of girls seating at the back,this is just laughable! So boys are not allowed to see girls,but girls are allowed to see boys?

#I laugh in Swahili.

Bunch of hypocrites that sees nothing bad in killing but sees everything bad in dress code. That rubbish call a School should be closed or they better rellocate it to the middle east where their kinds are.