The parents of a Muslim girl who was sent home from Uxbridge High School in Hillingdon, London, for wearing a skirt that was deemed “too long” are being threatened with legal action by the school.

Siham Hamud, 12, had been wearing an ankle-length skirt to school for years, but only last month in December, she was sent home every day to change into the “correct” uniform, involving a shorter skirt. 

Siham’s older sisters, Sumayyah, 19, and Ilham, 17, both wore longer skirts to school without any issues.

The school has now threatened the father, Idris Hamud, and his wife, Salma Yusuf, with legal action over their daughter’s alleged unauthorised absences caused by school policy that has made the daughter choose her religious beliefs over attending school.

Schools have a duty to respect the right of pupils by no less than the UN Charter of Human Rights. 

As a result, not only should they allow religious expression, but they should design their uniforms (and everything else they do) around their human rights and statutory obligations. Furthermore, if there is singling out and bullying of Siham, the school is mandated to take immediate action and stop this happening. 

If this is case is upheld in the school and in the courts, this could be used as precedent for wider discrimination, furthering the erosion of rights of Muslims as we have seen in other European countries such as France.

We cannot allow schools to make parents and pupils make a choice between their right to religion and their right to education. 

The issue is currently to be decided via the formal school complaints procedure. Demand that the school create an inclusive environment for children and stop the legal action.

*ACT NOW*

1. Contact the school via

Twitter:
School’s account: @UxbridgeHighSch
School’s Principal’s account: @UHSPrincipal

Email: office@uhs.org.uk

2. Remind them:
   a. Of their duty to uphold their statutory, human rights and moral obligations
   b. That such decisions by the school can normalise Islamophobia and wider discrimination
   c. They cannot condone or enforce a culture where pupils have to choose between their right to religion and right to education. 

CAMPAIGN SUCCESS:– 03/02/21

After a number of Muslim organisations and individuals took action to pressure the school, Highbridge High School have decided not to take the legal action they threatened the parents of Siham Hamud.

The school has also began to create ways in which Siham Hamud can return to school without compromising her religious beleifs.

We thank everyone who took action in this campaign.