To think a school can't legally suddenly ban the headscarf for muslin girls!

[Headscarfs123]

So our local catholic school has banned the headscarf this week...disastrous for some of the girls but also against church advice that headscarfs are fine, against DFES advice about consultation and sensitivity to religious groups, against best practice as this type of change should involve the governing body? discriminatory on religious and sexist grounds...Sikh boys can keep their turbans.

Aibu to think that the school is legally in the wrong?

I think, personally, Islam would suffer far less prejudice if it wasn't so visible. If Muslims continued doing everything but the 'different' attire it would be a different story.

Tbh I don't think it is prejudice to expect Muslim girls to follow school uniform rules without special treatment which I would bet most of them really don't want.

(Not saying prejudiced based upon difference is okay,)

Racisim goes both ways in this country; yet it racist to suggest that I imagine.

Fanjo - I have talked to lots of people on all sides outside this thread - and that's how I have formed my opinions.

Surely, if you have talked to lots of people regarding this issue you already know the in depth (ie the explanations behind "religion") reason why head scarves are worn then in order to be able to debate on the subject?

After all, I am being told I shouldn't join in because I don't know in depth explanation. I know vaguely why they do but wouldn't presume to lecture on it, which is why I pointed you at asking a muslim about it. You wanted a proper, in depth, behind the religion knowledge which I would presume a muslim has. Maybe asking at a mosque would give you a more balanced view.

Are you being deliberatly obtuse? You do understand your Muslim friend might not know very much about Islam, surely?

I am not, can I well believe they may not. But they are still better placed than you or I to explain, and can easily say to me "I don't know really, why don't you ask such and such".

It is not a stupid idea.

Fanjoy - are you trying to derail this thread?

Nope, making a valid point, and whenever I do you ignore what I say. Such is life!

Carry on declaring the suffering of the children for wearing headscarves

I have come to the opinion that headscalves for children are impractical when worn all day indoors at school. I don't see how that they benefit the child at all.

I can't say I really understand the reasons - or religious reasons why children wear this head gear. It doesn't serve any practical purpose as far as I can see.

I have come to the conclusion that recommendations came from male church leaders.

I am curious to know what women and mothers think across the board.

Why would recommendations for Muslim headscarfs come from Church leaders?

Didn't religious leaders recommend headscalvess for children - for 'religious reasons'.

No idea but surely the Church would have no influence on Muslim practices?

Cocflower - sorry, yes I mean the religious leaders who influence Muslim practices.

Ah, I see!

The reasoning is from the Qu'ran

"The Qur'an instructs both Muslim men and women to dress in a modest way.

The clearest verse on the requirement of the hijab is surah 24:30?31, asking women to draw their khimār over their bosoms.[5][6]

And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their khimār over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to [...] (Qur'an 24:31)"

I suppose it's comporable to Ye'olden days when a woman in the UK was forbidden from showing her ankle!

Thanks Cocoflower - do you think that verse applies to children as well?

No not really as they mention "women" and "bosoms". I suppose once a child hits puberty (as young as 11) the verse could be applied?

In Islam, girls are not supposed to cover their heads before puberty.

Well of course they come from Church leaders, that's what religion is.

No, they're not. But it happens all the time here, mainly from the Somali community.

I wonder how many girls in this school are ecstatic that their parents can't make them wear headscarves anymore

Muslims don't have churches and so certainly not church leaders as logic would follow posie

Their buildings of worships are called Mosques and the leaders are infact not infact always obligatory. They will be reffered to as "Prayer leaders"

Islam and Christianity may have the same Abrahamic God (depending on ypur view) but they do not share Churches or "Church leaders"

"Islam and Christianity may have the same Abrahamic God (depending on ypur view) "

There is no differing viewpoint on this. The God of the Quran is very clear that he is also the God of the Bible, who is also the God of the Torah.

What about this verse then - how do women interpret it apply it to their own girls?