How can a single state school defend itself in court? The question arises because of the 14-year-old Muslim pupil at Wycombe High School who has been forbidden by the headmistress from wearing the niqab, a veil which leaves only her eyes visible. The girl’s father is seeking judicial review. The father gets government money, in the form of legal aid, but the school does not necessarily get anything. The local education authority of the Conservative-controlled Buckinghamshire County Council indicates that it will not put its money behind its school. This is cowardly and against its own interest. If the school cannot afford to fight, then the county’s entire policy about school uniforms will have to change, and religious fanatics will start putting pressure on all Muslim girls to dress according to their whim. This is a test case for Tories who want to draw a line between legitimate religious freedom and oppressive zealotry.
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