.... Last year, I was invited to speak at a Muslim school in the Midlands. Saima, the teacher who wrote to me, praised my 'leadership qualities' and said she wanted her girls to meet a successful, Muslim female role model. Flattery gets to most people.
I agreed even though I fiercely oppose educational Apartheid. A part of me was looking forward to stirring things up a bit, getting the girls to challenge ideas and adults.
Most are brought up to obey and be 'good'. I have never been obedient or good. A second letter arrived asking me, please. to wear a long skirt and long sleeves and a headscarf, because that is 'the dress code'.
I withdrew and wrote a stern letter on why such schools and demands were unacceptable in a modern, liberal democracy. The teacher who invited me was sacked. Her in-laws blamed her and me for what happened. Her husband was supportive but became increasingly controlling.
The marriage ended. The last time I spoke to Saima, she was working in a comprehensive where she felt free and like a 'proper teacher, not a prisoner'. [International Business Times] Read more
