Secretary forced out of Muslim school by parents who thought she was a man

Shifa Patel, who dressed for work in a traditional hijab (head covering) and full-length robe, was targeted after photographs of her with short hair and wearing a shirt and trousers were copied from social networking site Facebook.

The photos were circulated among pupils at Al-Islah Muslim Girls' School in Blackburn, Lancashire, by email before it reached parents, who began to complain. When Fatima Patel, the acting head teacher, heard the gossip, she sent a letter reassuring parents of Miss Patel's gender. [telegraph.co.uk] Read more