A Christian teacher has told how she was forced out of a state-funded Islamic school after refusing to comply with a strict dress code that required all female staff to wear a headscarf and ankle-length skirt.
The 50-year-old claimed she left the Al-Madinah School in Derby after being “hassled” by senior managers about her choice of clothes.
She claimed that the school had issued staff with a handbook that told female staff to cover their entire body — with the exception of hands, face and feet — and not to wear “symbols of other faiths”. The teacher, who does not want to be identified, claims she was put on gardening leave and then officially resigned after four months of employment because of her refusal to sign up to the rules.
It is the latest in a series of disclosures about Al-Madinah, a taxpayer-funded free school with about 200 pupils aged four to 16.
Last week, the school, which opened in September last year, was criticised after details of the dress code first came to light, along with claims that girls had been made to sit at the back of class.
It is already under investigation over alleged irregularities relating to government grants, and an Ofsted inspection — due to take place later in the term — has now been brought forward to address the concerns.
Yesterday, the school’s interim principal, Stuart Wilson, sent a letter to parents, insisting any claims that girls were treated differently from boys were “totally wrong”. He added: “There has been a suggestion that female members of staff are unhappy to wear a headscarf or hijab when they are on the school site.
“In all our adverts, and whenever we interview candidates, we draw their attention to our dress code, which we have based on our interpretation of modesty within our unique free school environment. To date, the school has not received a single [expression of] concern from colleagues about this issue.”
The female teacher, who has 20 years of classroom experience, said she joined the school when it first opened and at first agreed to wear a hijab in class.
She said she attempted to take it off outside lesson-time but was “reprimanded” by male staff members.
The teacher also claimed she began to be “hassled” about the rest of her clothing — typically a business suit — and on one occasion received a text from the school saying: “We insist on a modest dress code. Full-length dress or skirt acceptable.”
Yesterday, she claimed staff received the dress-code handbook in the October after the school opened.
The teacher, who left the school in December last year, said: “Wearing the head covering was difficult for me because I am a Christian and, had I known it was compulsory for non-Muslim staff, I would never have accepted the position.” She added: “I am disappointed that the school does not appear to be the multi-faith school I was excited about joining. I felt oppressed, faced with prejudice and marginalised. I also missed opportunities to take other jobs because I accepted this one.”
The school declined to comment when contacted yesterday.
A Department for Education spokesman said: “The DfE will not hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to prevent religious intolerance or any breaking of the rules for free schools.”