King Edward VII Sheffield: School responds to anonymous petition over 'Islamophobic' dress code

Alastair Ulke
By Alastair Ulke
Published 23rd Sep 2022, 08:39 BST
Updated 26th Sep 2022, 09:43 BST
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A Sheffield secondary school has written home to parents after an anonymous online petition accused it of ‘Islamophobic’ policies.

A petition has been launched on Change.org claiming King Edward VII School is restricting religious freedoms.

It claims the school is “prohibiting students from praying within the school premises” after closing its prayer room “this academic year”.

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King Edward VII, a secular school, closed its voluntarily operated prayer room three years ago due to misuse.

King Edward VII School, Glossop Road site. A petition claims the school's dress code is discriminatory to Muslim students.King Edward VII School, Glossop Road site. A petition claims the school's dress code is discriminatory to Muslim students.
King Edward VII School, Glossop Road site. A petition claims the school's dress code is discriminatory to Muslim students.

It has prompted a letter home to parents by headteacher Linda Gooden, which restates the school’s policies and calls the anonymous petition ‘concerning and misleading’.

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Further, while the school has no formal uniform, the current dress code policy prohibits “any clothing specific to prayer and worship of any faith”, including the jubbah.

The petition asserts that teachers are interpreting this to also banning students from wearing abayas and long skirts – items common in Muslim communities that are not specific to prayer.

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