Finally the true reason behind the posts from the usual suspects on this thread.
It has got nothing to do with education standards.
Now we all know.!!!

Don't get too excited, I have given MY opinion, I am not the spokesperson for the 'usual suspects'.

They are individuals, and have their own voices.

TBH I think that the replies to the 'headscarves are oppressive' assertions have largely been refuted by the subsequent posts.

I can understand how the confusion occurs - people conflate an attractive national or regional affectation with the niqab and burkah which are often seen as oppressive.

To nail this one finally, this woman was rarely seen without her headscarf and she was hardly oppressed - n fact she was Prime Minister of Pakistan, the 6th most populous country in the world which is 97% Muslim.

Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25705834

I think most would agree about female oppression, Muslim extremism and radicalism, including educated Muslims.

But why on this thread pinpoint a Birmingham school which educates boys and girls on equal terms (apart from after-school tennis)?
Which is proud of its 'standards' for both. Where there are teachers of both sexes and British origin including the headmistress.
Just because the girls are allowed to choose to wear a headscarf.
If their parents were against a liberal atmosphere they would have sent their girls to a single sex school.

What ever happened to the notion of freedom to wear whatever suits you?

I shall not be responding to anything about headgear any more. It's been done to death and the UK should go the same way as France. I know I brought it up but I was referring to 8 to 10 yr olds on the schools website not women

This school is supposed to be non-religious and they are introducing Islamic lessons. The Guy behind the school is involved in two more academies makes a change from care homes I suppose

Anyway I suppose Offshit (as Private Eye calls Ofsted!) will sort it out.

I was sent to an all-girls school, all the teachers were women, no boys were allowed on the premises, we were taught "scripture" (ie christianity's scriptures) and I was forced to wear a very silly hat.

The failure by some people to distinguish between real oppression and cruelty and harmless cultural differences does a disservice to those suffering from oppression because it makes the entire position look absurd.

18 people killed and 100 polling stations burned, that is one hell of an election.

Is that all....getting more democratic all the time

Which points all the more to the personal power and strength of the woman elected. Which is what the post was about.

One swallow doth not a summer make.......as Feminists pointed out when Thatcher was PM!

Notice this Bangladeshi PM wasn't present when all the new members of her Government were sworn in at the Presidential palace

Lioness in Winter what is your opinion of the following?

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/l...mets-religious

Quite a few of them if you go through the list!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._of_government

Going back to the original school in question, it is an academy (for maths and science) they start at 11yrs.

Not at all, since when does a few posts from the USUAL SUSPECTS make it definitive. Your summing up is wrong. Most Muslim women would have to ask their men if they could discard it. Some Muslim women have been threatened for not wearing headcover, one in London went to the Police after, harassment including obscene and threatening phone calls, vandalism and her car damaged. As for the stats 58% polled in the UK thought all types of head cover should be banned, even higher for the burka.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...-ban-them.html

Most Muslim women, perhaps you could qualify that; most in UK, in the world, in a particular country?? How do you know?

All types of head cover??? You mean we should be banned from wearing headscarves in the rain??? People on chemotherapy with hair loss shouldn't wear a hat??

I agree that shops etc. should have the right to ban men or women entering with their faces covered also school teachers should have their faces visible. This is quite a different issue than wearing a scarf, turban or hat.