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IftikharA
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October 22nd, 2006, 7:27 pm

Established 1981London School of Islamics An Educational Trust63 Margery Park Road London E7 9LD Email: info@londonschoolofislamics.org.ukwww.londonschoolofislamics.org.ukTel/Fax: 0208 555 2733 / 07817 112 667Press ReleaseA bilingual Muslim teaching assistant suspended for refusing to remove her veil in class should be sacked, a local government minister said. She said her pupil were happy with her and never complained about the veil. She said she would remove the veil, but not in front of male colleagues. She was asked to remove the veil during lessons to improve pupil communication skills, because they were finding it difficult to hear what she was saying. She was not supposed to teach but to help the class teacher in her/his teaching. It is the job of the teacher to teach English to bilingual children.OFSTED criticized the school for exceptionally low standards achieved by pupils, stating that most difficulties are related to speech and communication problems. The school is placed among the worst 5% of schools in the country. It is not the fault of the veil and its wearer that the school is at the bottom of the educational ladder. It is the fault of the teaching staff who are monolinguals and who are unable to communicate with the children who can’t speak English in local accent. The staff as well as the head teacher should be replaced by bilingual Muslim teachers who are in a position to impart bilingual education right from nursery level. I hope that within a couple of years the school would be at the top of the educational ladder.Shahid Malik MP and MCB have no right to criticise the bilingual support teacher covering her face with a veil. They should criticise the LEA and monolingual staff who are not fit to teach bilingual children. There are hundreds of state schools where Muslim children are in majority. All such schools should have bilingual Muslim teachers as well as bilingual support staff as role models. They are in a better position to teach English, Arabic and Urdu and other community languages at the same time. British born and educated Muslim teachers are also required to teach English and other subjects.The school has failed by the OFSTED because it never introduced bilingualism and bilingual education. OFSTED and DFE must have bilingual Muslim staff to carry out inspection according to the needs and demands of the Muslim children. Bilingual teachers are not available in this country. LEA must recruit bilingual Muslim teachers from abroad. In the 60s and 70’s, there was a shortage of teachers in state schools, hundreds of teachers were given work permits to come to teach in those inner cities rough schools where even a native teacher could not dare to teach. Now bilingual Muslim teachers are needed for Muslim children.Iftikhar Ahmad
 
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mencey
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October 23rd, 2006, 6:35 am

QuoteOriginally posted by: IftikharAEstablished 1981London School of Islamics An Educational Trust63 Margery Park Road London E7 9LD Email: info@londonschoolofislamics.org.ukwww.londonschoolofislamics.org.ukTel/Fax: 0208 555 2733 / 07817 112 667Press Release She said her pupil were happy with her and never complained about the veil. Iftikhar AhmadThis is a primary school, isn't it? how old were the pupils?Further, Turkey, a secular country with mayority muslim population, prohibits by law, the wearing of religious headcover and theo-political symbolic garments for both genders in government buildings, schools, and universities.So if Turkey does and "live continues" I can not understand why the UK can'tPS:guy, this stuff shall be posted not here in the general forum but on the off topic forum
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mencey
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October 23rd, 2006, 6:41 am

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ppauper
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October 23rd, 2006, 1:53 pm

QuoteOriginally posted by: mencey this stuff shall be posted not here in the general forum but on the off topic forumagreed1)This is what the veil looks like:"her black veil, which leaves only her eyes visible"("mask" might be a better word)2) The school was Headfield Church of England Junior School, in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.A CofE school.I've seen the pupils described as 11 years old.3) She doesn't seem that committed to wearing it:QuoteA teaching assistant suspended by her school for refusing to take off her Muslim veil while in class has admitted not wearing it during her job interview. I'm not sure why she feels she has to wear it with 11 year old kids but not during a job interview that included a least one male in the process.4) The school is understood to have ordered face-to-face contact was essential in her role as a bilingual support worker. It said the action had "nothing to do" with religion. Saleem Kidwai, secretary of the Muslim Council for Wales, said the majority of Welsh Muslims would expect a teacher to remove the veil in the classroom, but it was down to Ms Azmi what she did elsewhere."The majority feels the hands and face should be uncovered," he said."When teaching children under the age of 11 it is very important for them to see the reaction on the face. When teaching modern languages it is important to be able to see the mouth, so in this case the authorities were justified to ask her to remove the veil."