Girl and boy segregation ‘unlawful’

AN ISLAMIC school unlawfully discriminated on sex grounds by separating girls from boys, judges ruled yesterday.

The Court of Appeal found strict segregation operated by the Al-Hijrah school in Birmingham was contrary to the Equality Act.

It must now rethink its policy.

The state-funded school, with pupils aged between four and 16, believes in separation of the sexes from nine onwards for religious reasons.

Boys and girls walked down different corridors and were separated for all lessons, breaks, school clubs and trips, inspectors found.

Watchdog Ofsted’s lawyers argued the segregation left girls “unprepared for life in modern Britain”.

Judge Lady Justice Gloster said books in the school library advocated wife beating and forced sex in marriage.

Campaigners welcomed the test case ruling and the Department for Education is considering the implications.

THE Court of Appeal has ruled that an Islamic faith school’s policy of segregating boys and girls is unlawful sex discrimination and not before time. It is surely a given that in Britain schoolchildren are treated equally. We have a long tradition of welcoming other cultures to our shores but anyone who wants to live here must abide by British customs and laws.

For far too long the authorities have been allowing some communities to behave as if they can set their own rules and another example of this is the shocking rise in sharia courts, which should be closed down forthwith. These practices are foreign to this country and should remain so.