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| Version 12 | Version 13 |
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| Veil teacher 'should be sacked' | Veil teacher 'should be sacked' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Muslim teaching assistant suspended for refusing to remove her veil in class should be sacked, a local government minister has said. | A Muslim teaching assistant suspended for refusing to remove her veil in class should be sacked, a local government minister has said. |
| Phil Woolas, whose brief includes race relations, told the Sunday Mirror that Aishah Azmi, 23, had "put herself in a position where she can't do her job". | Phil Woolas, whose brief includes race relations, told the Sunday Mirror that Aishah Azmi, 23, had "put herself in a position where she can't do her job". |
| Ms Azmi, who works at a junior school in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, said her pupils never complained about the veil. | Ms Azmi, who works at a junior school in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, said her pupils never complained about the veil. |
| She said she would remove the garment, but not in front of male colleagues. | She said she would remove the garment, but not in front of male colleagues. |
| Mr Woolas told the newspaper this amounted to sexual discrimination. | Mr Woolas told the newspaper this amounted to sexual discrimination. |
| He added: "She is denying the right of children to a full education by insisting that she wears the veil." | He added: "She is denying the right of children to a full education by insisting that she wears the veil." |
| Acceptance plea | Acceptance plea |
| But the lawyer representing Ms Azmi at an employment tribunal said it was wrong to say she could not do her job. | |
| Nick Whittingham of Kirklees Law Centre said: "Mrs Azmi is very well able to carry out her role as a teaching assistant providing support to pupils who speak English as a second language. | |
| "She is able to do this effectively while wearing the veil. She has demonstrated in a number of interviews that she can communicate effectively while wearing the veil. | |
| There are so many people in this country who wear the veil and who are very well educated Aishah Azmi Davis warns of 'UK apartheid' Muslims under attack - Lord Send us your comments | |
| "No child has ever had a problem with the support she provides and no child or parent has ever complained about her work." | |
| Earlier, Kirklees Council said she was asked to take off her veil in class at Headfield Church of England Junior School because the children had difficulty understanding her in English lessons. | Earlier, Kirklees Council said she was asked to take off her veil in class at Headfield Church of England Junior School because the children had difficulty understanding her in English lessons. |
| After she refused to remove the veil, it was decided to suspend her pending an employment tribunal. | After she refused to remove the veil, it was decided to suspend her pending an employment tribunal. |
| The council said the school's action had "nothing to do with religion". | The council said the school's action had "nothing to do with religion". |
| Some Muslim women say the Koran instructs them to wear the veil | |
| Ms Azmi told the BBC her veil had not caused problems with the children, with whom she had a "brilliant relationship". | Ms Azmi told the BBC her veil had not caused problems with the children, with whom she had a "brilliant relationship". |
| "The children are aware of my body language, my eye expressions, the way I'm saying things. | "The children are aware of my body language, my eye expressions, the way I'm saying things. |
| "If people think it is a problem, what about blind children? They can't see anything but they have a brilliant education, so I don't think my wearing the veil affects the children at all." | "If people think it is a problem, what about blind children? They can't see anything but they have a brilliant education, so I don't think my wearing the veil affects the children at all." |
| But Ms Azmi later admitted she had taken the veil off to be interviewed for the job by a male governor. | But Ms Azmi later admitted she had taken the veil off to be interviewed for the job by a male governor. |
| The school, which has 529 pupils aged seven to 11, takes many children from different ethnic backgrounds where English is not the first language. | The school, which has 529 pupils aged seven to 11, takes many children from different ethnic backgrounds where English is not the first language. |
| Religious freedoms | Religious freedoms |
| The Leader of the Commons, Jack Straw, initiated a debate on veil-wearing last week when he suggested the full veil over the face separated communities. | The Leader of the Commons, Jack Straw, initiated a debate on veil-wearing last week when he suggested the full veil over the face separated communities. |
| His comments were supported by shadow home secretary David Davis who said, writing in the Sunday Telegraph: "What Jack touched on was the fundamental issue of whether, in Britain, we are developing a divided society. | His comments were supported by shadow home secretary David Davis who said, writing in the Sunday Telegraph: "What Jack touched on was the fundamental issue of whether, in Britain, we are developing a divided society. |
| "Whether we are creating a series of closed societies within our open society. | "Whether we are creating a series of closed societies within our open society. |
| "Whether we are inadvertently encouraging a kind of voluntary apartheid." | "Whether we are inadvertently encouraging a kind of voluntary apartheid." |
| London Mayor Ken Livingstone has also weighed into the debate, saying he would like Muslims to give up the veil but change could not be imposed from outside. | |
| A survey in the Guardian newspaper suggested 53% of people supported Mr Straw in thinking the veils create a barrier between Muslims and other people. | A survey in the Guardian newspaper suggested 53% of people supported Mr Straw in thinking the veils create a barrier between Muslims and other people. |