12 Jan '21 20:102 editshttps://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/jan/12/school-threatens-legal-action-muslim-girl-siham-hamud-skirt-too-long
"School threatens legal action after Muslim girl told skirt is ‘too long’
Siham Hamud, 12, refused to wear shorter skirt and now parents
face court over unauthorised absences"
"The parents of a Muslim girl who was sent home from school for wearing a
skirt that was deemed “too long” are being threatened with legal action.
Siham Hamud, 12, described being bullied for her religious beliefs after
being sent home every day in December from Uxbridge high school
in Hillingdon, west London, and told to only come back when she
wore a shorter skirt.
She had been wearing an ankle-length skirt to school for years, but said she
was shocked when teachers last month told her the attire was incorrect uniform."
"However, the Siham’s father, Idris Hamud, 55, said short skirts
contravene the family’s religious beliefs and his daughter had refused
to attend school. The school has now threatened him and his wife,
Salma Yusuf, 44, with legal action over their daughter’s alleged
unauthorised absences.
Siham, who is now studying from home due to Covid lockdown
restrictions, described feeling bullied for her beliefs."
"A new school rule about the length of skirts was introduced two
years ago, stating shorter branded skirts had to be worn.
But the family claim they only recently became aware of this change,
and Siham continued wearing her longer skirt, unaware she was
breaking any rules, until she was spoken to by teachers on 1 December."
"Siham’s older sisters, Sumayyah, 19, and Ilham, 17, both wore
longer skirts to school without issue."
Hamud, an athletics coach, said his daughter was being denied
an education because of her religious beliefs.
“All Siham wants to do is to wear a skirt which is a few centimetres
longer than her classmates, and I don’t know why the school has
such a problem with this. She is sent home to change into a shorter
skirt then return to school later that day – but she isn’t going to
change her beliefs in an hour.
“The school is threatening to take legal action against me, but I’m not forcing
her to wear a longer skirt – it’s her faith and her decision to make.
She used to love school, but now she goes to school crying because
of this – it’s heartbreaking.”"
Her skirt's length is irrelevant to any educational objective.
(If she wished to wear a longer skirt to conceal an ugly scar on her leg, would that be acceptable?)
This seems to be another case of the unnecessary policing of a black Muslim girl.
"School threatens legal action after Muslim girl told skirt is ‘too long’
Siham Hamud, 12, refused to wear shorter skirt and now parents
face court over unauthorised absences"
"The parents of a Muslim girl who was sent home from school for wearing a
skirt that was deemed “too long” are being threatened with legal action.
Siham Hamud, 12, described being bullied for her religious beliefs after
being sent home every day in December from Uxbridge high school
in Hillingdon, west London, and told to only come back when she
wore a shorter skirt.
She had been wearing an ankle-length skirt to school for years, but said she
was shocked when teachers last month told her the attire was incorrect uniform."
"However, the Siham’s father, Idris Hamud, 55, said short skirts
contravene the family’s religious beliefs and his daughter had refused
to attend school. The school has now threatened him and his wife,
Salma Yusuf, 44, with legal action over their daughter’s alleged
unauthorised absences.
Siham, who is now studying from home due to Covid lockdown
restrictions, described feeling bullied for her beliefs."
"A new school rule about the length of skirts was introduced two
years ago, stating shorter branded skirts had to be worn.
But the family claim they only recently became aware of this change,
and Siham continued wearing her longer skirt, unaware she was
breaking any rules, until she was spoken to by teachers on 1 December."
"Siham’s older sisters, Sumayyah, 19, and Ilham, 17, both wore
longer skirts to school without issue."
Hamud, an athletics coach, said his daughter was being denied
an education because of her religious beliefs.
“All Siham wants to do is to wear a skirt which is a few centimetres
longer than her classmates, and I don’t know why the school has
such a problem with this. She is sent home to change into a shorter
skirt then return to school later that day – but she isn’t going to
change her beliefs in an hour.
“The school is threatening to take legal action against me, but I’m not forcing
her to wear a longer skirt – it’s her faith and her decision to make.
She used to love school, but now she goes to school crying because
of this – it’s heartbreaking.”"
Her skirt's length is irrelevant to any educational objective.
(If she wished to wear a longer skirt to conceal an ugly scar on her leg, would that be acceptable?)
This seems to be another case of the unnecessary policing of a black Muslim girl.
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