Muslim pupil sent home for refusing to wear short skirt to school

A girl in England was sent home after refusing to wear a shorter skirt. Picture: Pexels/@Min An.

A girl in England was sent home after refusing to wear a shorter skirt. Picture: Pexels/@Min An.

Published Jan 15, 2021

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A school in Middlesex, England, threatened legal action against the parents of a 12-year-old Muslim learner for failing to wear a shorter skirt.

According to Vogue, Siham Hamud refused to wear a shorter skirt for religious reasons, which was perceived as a violation of the school’s dress code.

The publication reported that Hamud told The Telegraph she felt she was bullied because of her religion.

Previously, Hamud was able to wear an ankle-length skirt to Uxbridge High School for years before it became a disciplinary issue last month.

The school’s uniform code, which requires female learners to wear pleated skirts, was implemented two years ago. As such, every day from December 1, Siham was sent home.

Her father, Idris, told The Telegraph that the branch of Islam they follow believes women should wear long skirts.

He said: “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.”

He is determined to fight the legal action.

South Africa had a similar case, but with hair.

In 2016, the Department of Education found that black pupils at Pretoria Girls’ High School were victims of racism, following protests about the school's hair policy, among other problems.

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