Equalities row councillor related to hijab ban child
ACOUNCIL equalities boss who intervened in a row about a Catholic school banning a Muslim girl from wearing a hijab is related to the child.
St Clare’s School, in Handsworth, made national headlines after asking the child’s parents to respect their strict uniform policy, which includes no headwear or scarfs.
The stance ignited a debate among community leaders after the young girl’s father called on council officials to intervene.
Waseem Zaffar, Birmingham Council’s Labour cabinet member for equalities, revealed last week he had met with the head teacher and told her the ban was against the Equalities Act.
Yet what the veteran councillor did not reveal publicly is that he is related to the girl and her family.
Birmingham City Council said Cllr Zaffar did inform it of the link and had also told the school.
The Post contacted Cllr Zaffar for comment and he issued a statement via the council press office.
He said: “I had more than one child’s parent contact me about this issue affecting their children and one of the children is related to me. I have been very open and transparent with council colleagues and officers as well as the school about this from the first moment it was raised with me.”
But Jon Hunt, leader of the Lib Dems, said: “This whole affair is a terrible muddle. As cabinet member for equalities, Cllr Zaffar holds serious responsibilities, especially in the light of the Trojan Horse scandal in schools.
“In this instance he has blundered into a situation, without thinking through his conflicting roles. “I am very surprised that he went on to visit the school after raising the matter with council officers, who could have handled the situation professionally and appropriately.” The row began on Facebook on January 21 when a relative of the girl hit out at the headscarf ban, saying she had been given “detention from school cuz she was wearing a scarf. It’s a religious matter and I would like to request to our councillors and MPs to take notice on this serious issue.” The relative had copied in the message to an MP and councillors, including Cllr Zaffar. Cllr Zaffar later posted on Facebook: “I met the head teacher yesterday to discuss this clearly outlining to her that this policy contravenes the equalities act. “Senior education officers from Birmingham City Council will also discuss this matter with the con- cerned school early next week.”
The familial relationship between Mr Zaffar and the relatives of the girl was not made public on the posts.
Women’s rights campaigner Gina Khan had previously attacked Cllr Zaffar’s comments, stating: “Hijab isn’t compulsory for a child in Islam, but patriarchal biraadari power used to contol Muslim school girls.”
Birmingham City Council said it had been aware of Cllr Zaffar’s family link.
Brigid Jones, cabinet member for children, families and schools, said: “Before contacting the school in his capacity as a local ward member, Cllr Zaffar sought advice from myself and senior officers about him approaching the head teacher in relation to the allegations about one of the children affected by the uniform policy.
“At this time, he also made it very clear the pupil was one of his relatives.”