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20 March 2007

Surely Schools Always Had The Right To Ban Veils?

New guidelines published by the DfES state that headteachers now have the right to prevent students from wearing the veil (niqab) in school, effectively banning it. What the niqab does is cover the entire head, including the eyes, and as such must make teaching children wearing it very much hard work, as a vital part of teaching is done through body language and facial expressions, like in all types of communication.

This proposal, as expected has received mixed reactions from Muslims groups. The Muslim Council of Britain said that it does not "alter the position very much" and that "the vast majority of schools are able to solve these issues locally", which is as it should be. The Muslim Education Centre, however, showed more enthusiasm for the guidelines published:

"When you conceal the face, that actually not only dehumanises the person involved, but also creates a chasm, a gap, a bridge of non-understanding between communities and I think the sooner we can get rid of this veil, this face veiling, this face masking in Muslim societies across Britain, so much the better." (BBC)
Precisely. Face veiling, and the furore that surrounds it, is divisive. The sooner that it is accepted that the veil should not be worn in certain places, the better. Schools are not the place for veils, on teachers or students because of the way in which it interferes with learning. Especially since there are other less-complete coverings accepted by Islam that can be worn instead.

Quite why this should have required DfES guidelines in the first place is beyond me. Surely headteachers have always had the right to decide what can be worn as part of the school uniform! That this has been required to be specifically stated points out how racialised and segregated British society is becoming through the never-ending support for "minority rights" whilst completely ignored the divisive effects this has on the rights of the silent majority.

Sources: BBC, The Guardian, Channel 4, Politics.co.uk, Monsters and Critics

Posted by ThunderDragon @ 5:46 pm

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