Is a ban of the face veil against fundamental British values?

Ofsted hit the headlines in January when the Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, made a statement on the wearing of the niqab (face veil). What do you and your staff think? Or are we getting side-tracked from a much, much bigger issue?

In January 2016, Ofsted’s Chief Inspector gave his full support to school and college leaders who decide to ban the wearing of the face veil. He has instructed inspectors to mark down institutions if they judge that the wearing of the veil is acting as a barrier to learning or to positive social interaction.

A formal statement released by Sir Michael stated “I have…made clear to my inspectors that where leaders are condoning the wearing of the face veil by staff members or by pupils when this is clearly hindering communication and effective teaching, they should give consideration to judging the school as inadequate.”

“I am determined to ensure that discrimination, including on the grounds of gender, has no place in our classrooms. We want our schools, whether faith schools or non-faith schools, to prepare their pupils equally for life in 21st century Britain. We need to be confident our children’s education and future prospects are not being harmed in any way.”

So yet again, the face veil has hit the headlines. But do the numbers warrant the debate? We don’t know for certain how many Muslim women wear the niqab, but here is what we do know. According to the 2011 census, 5% of the population are Muslim. Just under half (48%) are women. Of these, it is estimated that less than 1% wear the face veil. We don’t know for certain – this is an estimate. What we do know is that the figure is likely to be very, very low. So why the spotlight? Are there not more pressing issues that Sir Michael could draw attention to?

The Muslim Council of Britain accused Wilshaw of being heavy handed in his approach, saying: “We are a country that prides itself in accommodation and fair play. It is a shame that the niqab – the full-face veil that a minority of Muslim women wear – has become a polarising issue when it need not be.”

Remona Aly, a Muslim journalist, published an article in the Guardian in response to Michael Wilshaw’s statements. She said “I wear a headscarf. I know women who wear face veils. Each time we are put in the spotlight in this way, the reaction is the same: here we go again. For we have seen veil or niqab debate thrown into the political ring on numerous occasions. Many have spoken out against a ban, saying it would be contrary to British values; others support one, citing the very same reason. These discussions never provide much by way of clarity. But they always mean trouble. Each time the issue ignites a media furore, and Muslim women who wear the veil are exposed to more hostility in a climate where those in niqab and hijab are already under threat: 60% of the victims of anti-Muslim attacks are women.”

There does not seem to be much concrete evidence that the wearing of the face veil interferes with teaching and learning or social interaction. This is somewhat ironic, given that inspection is all about making robust evidence-based judgements.

By all means let us have a debate. But let’s make sure that our discussions are respectful, involve Muslim women, are based on more than mere speculation and are not used to justify intolerance, prejudice, bigotry, hatred and, ultimately, violence.  

Perhaps a much bigger issue than the wearing of the veil is the constant negative media reporting that Muslim people are subjected to. According to research carried out by the University of Birmingham, news coverage after 2006 related to Muslims and Islam in British national newspapers increased by 270 per cent - that is more than three times the population growth rate. And the study concluded that 91 per cent of stories were negative. Against this backdrop, schools, colleges and universities have an opportunity to provide a counter-narrative that empowers all women, encourages respect and tolerance and strengthens society. Perhaps by speaking more wisely, Sir Michael could bring us closer to the Britain that we all desire.