Guardian: Al-Madinah school in Derby had been accused of imposing strict Islamic regulations, including segregation by gender
A Muslim faith school accused of imposing strict Islamic practices has closed on the first day of an investigation by Ofsted over a “health and safety” issue.
The schools regulator began a two-day visit to Al-Madinah in Derby on Tuesday.
The BBC reported that unnamed former staff members of Al-Madinah, which opened as a free school in September last year, had alleged that girls were forced to sit at the back of the classroom, and that female staff members, including non-Muslims, had been forced to wear the hijab.
Acting head teacher Stuart Wilson said the school would close temporarily.
Writing on the school website, he said: “Owing to a 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.
“As parents, you will be informed directly, and on the website, when you are able to send your children back to school. I expect this to be in the very near future.
“Assuring you that we have your children’s best interests at heart.”
A Department for Education spokesman said: “We were already investigating this school before allegations became public.
Categories: Europe
In state schools classroom’s are unruly, children hang around groups outside school and cause trouble, teacher’s just want to get paid, children don’t respect teachers, a couple of teenage pregnancies. I heard it is also evident up and down the country? A teacher yesterday about being told to cover up and everyone screams about that but when a Muslim woman it told what she can’t wear it’s ok!! This country is getting worse! Muslims live here we play a big part in society, jobs, doctors, nurses, shop keepers.. Get used to it because we aren’t going to leave our homeland just like we would t expect you to leave urs !!
I do not see the problem forcing non Muslim to wear head scarves etc. A family friend is a teaching assistant in a very strict Mormon school (not far off of being Amish really) and she has to wear a head covering, keep shoulders covered, wear skirts the below the knee. The children at this school do not watch TV and she is not allowed to discuss TV, books, music etc with the children. But you do not hear her going to national news papers complaining. This school has only hit headlines because it is Muslim. If you do not like it, do not work there. It is a free school, not a comprehensive and no one is forcing non Muslims to go there. As a teacher for 35 years, one of the major petty disciplinary issues was children surreptitiously chewing gum during lessons, and smirking unpleasantly when told to behave or carry out a particular task.
The UK, a multicultural, liberal, secular country where you are free to worship whatever religion you adhere to in peace, yes? I do not have a problem with the women’s right to wear what she likes to wear. I have a problem with other people telling her what to wear. What I hate is women who wear it and don’t want to and never speak up and women who wear it and never speak up that they want to. A woman must be able to say why she want to wear this thing. I am aware that many women feel secure and would prefer to hide themselves rather than have plastic surgery but at least they speak up. I really want to hear the women themselves. I guarantee you the amount of people in the UK that wear this face covering thing is less that 0.1% of the entire UK population. Since when did we start making a new law for such a small amount of the population?
Two teenage Muslim pupils have been put into ‘isolation’ and banned from lessons after refusing to shave off their beards for religious reasons.
But a relative of one of the boys said: ‘Because these boys cannot shave their beards for religious reasons, they are being put in isolation for six-and-a-half hours every day.
So surely the logical thing to do is to send the boys to a Muslim faith school as opposed to a Catholic school? A Catholic attending a Muslim school would be expected to abide by those school rules, where’s the difference? It’s a facial hair for god sake get over it. Catholics go to Catholic school, Muslims go to Muslim school, problem solved. Seriously, how is having a beard going to affect there learning?! It’s just plain stupid to isolate a 14 year old just because of something that is natural! And how big is a 14 years olds beard going to be really? They barely started puberty! It’s freedom of choice… Sometimes I think schools care more about what te child looks like than there education. The beard plays a major role in many world religions including Christianity! Have you even read the bible, never mind the Qur’an! What harm is a beard going to do? It shouldn’t harm education and if anything should give boys self confidence at this age. Jesus had a beard. What better way is there to represent Jesus,much revered by all Muslims, in a Christian faith school,whose fundamental values are also upheld by Muslims? There is a very simple solution to all this. Go to a Muslim school. Job done. Religion ISN’T about ramming your beliefs down peoples throats whether you’re Catholic, Protestant, Muslim etc. I’m fed up of the whole thing. If none of you can tolerate each other then segregation is the only way. Sad but true. Jesus had a beard so should Christian pupils be allowed to have beards? What’s wrong with a beard its not harming anyone is it? If you are going to accept pupils of other faiths at a Catholic school then you must accept them with all outward displays of their faith. If the wearing of beards by Muslim pupils is a problem for the Church and the school Governors/Head then simply close your doors to all but Catholics.Jesus also had a beard, its not just an Islamic/Muslim thing.
IA
http://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk