The head of the UK’s schools inspectorate was targeted with anti-Semitic abuse after she backed a school’s decision to ban infants from wearing the Islamic headscarf.
Amanda Spielman argued that in the same way school leaders would ban under-eights wearing lipstick and high heels to class, they could also ban the hijab and face veil, which sexualise young girls.
After the ruling Ms. Spielman quickly became the target of leftists and radical Muslims and received anti-Semitic attacks online, The Times reports.
The attacks on the Ofsted boss come after she backed St. Stephen’s Primary School in Newham, east London, banning the hijab for pre-pubescent infants and discouraging fasting during school hours.
The ban had been in place for months, with little local controversy, before hard left and ‘extremist’ Islamist groups stepped up a national campaign that led to the resignation of the chairman of governors, Arif Qawi, following abuse and a reversal of the ban.
Those attacking the school included the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), which is linked to the pro-caliphate Muslim Brotherhood, MEND, which host radical speakers, and CAGE, which has defended Islamic State jihadists.
Mr. Qawi called on the Department for Education (DfE) to help the school and said they should “step up and take it out of our hands”.
Over the weekend, Ms. Spielman’s predecessor, Sir Michael Wilshaw, waded in and warned that the DfE was being too “politically correct” and “too silent” over the controversy.
He said the department should support head teachers challenging the “unreasonable demands” of hardline Muslim communities, leaving them “vulnerable and isolated”.
Ms. Spielman insisted she strongly backs the head teacher, who had taken “tough decisions in the interests of her pupils”.
She added that it was a “matter of deep regret” that the institution had been “subject to a campaign of abuse by those who want to undermine the school’s position”.
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