A Roman Catholic school's decision to ban a four-year-old from wearing an Islamic headscarf has sparked anger among equalities councillors at Birmingham City Council.
St Clare's School, Handsworth, has a strict uniform policy that includes a ban on headwear or hijabs in lessons. Teachers asked the young girl to respect the policy but the dispute has divided senior politicians and activists in the area.
Waseem Zaffer, Labour's equalities cabinet member, was asked by the girl's father to intervene, according to the Birmingham Mail.
He posted on Facebook that the Christian school's rules "contravenes the equalities act" and added: "I'm insisting this matter is addressed asap with a change of policy."
But the social media post on Saturday has since been deleted after it sparked an intense feud with other equalities cabinet colleagues.
Fellow-Labour Cllr Majid Mahmood, said as a faith school, St Clare's may be "within its rights to insist upon a particular dress code," just as a Muslim faith school "may require girls to wear headscarves", according to the Birmingham Mail.
Ex head of equalities for the council, Dr Mashuq Ally, agreed and said faith school's are allowed to set their own uniform policy and are exempt from discrimination laws.
"I also would have thought a Muslim parent would have thought very carefully about sending their child to a Roman Catholic school and considered the uniform policy.
"This should have all been discussed between school and parent, not been dragged into the public and political arena."
