The High Court upheld a decision by Michaela Community School, led by Katharine Birbalsingh, to ban Islamic prayers, sparking significant controversy. The ruling was met with mixed reactions, including support from some who viewed the ban as a defense against religious zealotry and a step towards integration, while others saw it as a violation of religious freedoms. The case, which cost £150,000 of taxpayer money, faced severe backlash including 4000 signatures demanding Birbalsingh's dismissal, bricks thrown through the window, and threats against staff. Critics argue the ban could lead to a loss of faith in the political system among Muslims, with some leaders suggesting it contradicts the teachings of accommodating prayer within daily life as advised by some Islamic scholars. An appeal against the ruling is planned.
The Boudicca of our time, Katharine Birbalsingh @Miss_Snuffy. https://t.co/yhzg1Y2ejZ
This piece, on the school prayer row in the UK, from @RachelSJohnson in the @EveningStandard makes no sense - she says ‘when in Britain, be British,’ literally 3 short sentences after saying established-church Britain should be… more like ultra-secular France. Bizarre.… https://t.co/wAi2QbL1hz
"Katharine Birbalsingh’s victory proves that schools (and countries) only work when everyone coheres to common values: moderation, a rejection of religious extremism, respect, humour, and the offer of a nice cup of tea", writes @RachelSJohnson Read: https://t.co/l91jbfPg3s https://t.co/zn18O4DKcv
The High Court ruling in favour of Katharine Birbalsingh @Miss_Snuffy caused outrage with Muslim leaders, but should they be here? According to Islamic scriptures, Muslims should not emigrate to countries that are not Islamic &/or restrict praying. "In the Sunnah, the Prophet… https://t.co/CW0FUhS3nG
London mosque denies it advised school all prayers could be deferred https://t.co/ilLTHEM6D7
The mosque informed Birbalsingh that Muslim students needed to pray during the allotted time for prayer, but during the summer the Duhr (noon) prayer can be delayed to its final prescribed time due to the longer time between the noon and afternoon prayers https://t.co/qYQellR2X9
"We should probably ban religion and mandatory daily acts of worship in all state schools, as many western European countries do", writes @RachelSJohnson Read more: https://t.co/l91jbfPg3s https://t.co/C8a2SvdJ4k
I’m from Wembley & helped to set up Michaela Community School as Chairman of Governors for the first 4 years. We faced many attacks & battles back then & Katharine Birbalsingh has fought hard against every single one. Let this victory be a turning point for the country. 1/3 https://t.co/X76SdQDFcv
Two leading Muslim leaders, imam @AjmalMasroor & Meherun Hamid of the Association of Muslims Schools @AMSUK_ have come out critical of the High Court ruling that Katharine Birbalsingh @Miss_Snuffy can ban prayers at her school. Mr Masroor said it's a "fundamental… https://t.co/qS0g9MosjM
The London Central Mosque published a statement stating that it disagreed with the judgment of the recent court case of Michaela Secondary School and that preventing Muslims from praying was 'a violation of religious and human rights' https://t.co/qYQellR2X9
‘The triumph of Katharine Birbalsingh.’ My column in this week’s @spectator https://t.co/TNeTWOwf45
An interview I did with @peterboghossian some weeks ago about our school ethos. We discuss reasons for banning prayer rituals and the fight that has been to keep Michaela open all these years. https://t.co/Ly9JKOzFWv
Headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh said she had spoken with an imam at the Regent’s Park Mosque about the permissibility of making up missed prayers https://t.co/hO77RhK944
A London mosque imam reportedly said it was permissible for Muslim students to defer obligatory afternoon prayers https://t.co/BHKMVxFxHR
Do you agree with @darrengrimes_ or @qaishussain14 on the school prayer ban? Full fiery debate linked below 🔥 https://t.co/0GGm1yPylb
All kicked off on our @ReasonedUK Live tonight. What do you make of the Muslim prayer ban? Our guest tonight supports an appeal to overturn the lawful verdict of the ban. Click the link in the reply. https://t.co/UGK9qC2zft
Headteacher said imam of London Central Mosque told her pupils could make up missed prayers later in the day, an issue contested among Muslim scholars https://t.co/wtpU3u8bju
Freedom *from* religion is just as important as freedom *of* religion. Katharine Birbalsingh's Michaela School is proud of the fact it treats pupils of all faiths equally. Its ban on prayers was about tolerance, not discrimination, says Rakib Ehsan https://t.co/mfO9np0QcE
The way Katharine Birbalsingh stood up for her school’s values and beliefs in the face of intimidation and threats is very admirable and brave. We need more of it instead of shrugging as teachers are forced to go into hiding.
Experts divided over implications of prayer ban ruling at London school https://t.co/0OJKQLwVyS
UK imam's alleged input in school prayer ban case causes stir https://t.co/3r6K22Zv2t
British imam and presenter Ajmal Masroor criticised a school's decision to ban a Muslim student from praying, arguing that if a school is avowedly secular, would they also ban Christmas or Easter holidays or the national anthem that includes religious references? https://t.co/KUTsPc4tWK
"Birbalsingh describes an almost vertiginous shift in the school’s culture, as she saw students pressure one another into increasingly ardent displays of their faith: to fast during Ramadan; to wear a hijab; to drop out of the choir." 🖊️ @finn_mcredmond https://t.co/HjUri9eLlN
Salute Katharine The Great for defeating the Muslim bullies who threw a brick through a teacher's window, says @kelvmackenzie
Salute Katharine The Great for defeating the Muslim bullies who threw a brick through a teacher's window, says Kelvin MacKenzie https://t.co/Wia9bv5rAc
The Michaela School head teacher is right: secular measures prevent, rather than inflame, religious prejudice. 🖊️ @finn_mcredmond https://t.co/AzPpeJun9x
‘If she doesn’t like it, take the child out.’ Executive Head of St Thomas the Apostle School, Serge Cefai, reacts to High Court ruling that the Michaela School was lawful to ban prayer times. https://t.co/yS4JDdaxq3
The High Court sided with Head Katharine Birbalsingh @Miss_Snuffy in banning Islamic prayers in school. The @themuslimvoteuk are not happy. "Muslims will leave this country because of this judgement. Muslims will completely lose faith in a political system that actively… https://t.co/bz26ttCKP7
Islamic fundamentalist @RmSalih of @5Pillarsuk seems to have inside info, that after spending £150,000 of taxpayer's cash taking Katharine Birbalsingh @Miss_Snuffy to court & losing they are going to appeal. "I have it on good authority that this decision will be appealed. This… https://t.co/0CJ9TXXbTx
Islamic fundamentalist @RmSalih of @5Pillarsuk seems to have inside info, that after spending £150,000 of taxpayer's cash taking Katharine Birbalsingh @Miss_Snuffy & losing they are going to appeal. "I have it on good authority that this decision will be appealed. This ain't… https://t.co/p9bBsavfyF
I'm so pleased for @Miss_Snuffy that she won this case. What she faced was zealots pushing to get a toe-hold in her school, from which to thwart her integrationist approach. As her statement made clear, the rights of less zealous Muslim pupils were among those most at risk. https://t.co/ka7cMRVBDW
'If you sign up to go to that school, you sign up to abide by the rules.' Broadcaster Jawad Iqbal tells @NickFerrariLBC that he finds Michaela Community School's 'prayer ban' a 'very sensible decision' and 'if a pupil is not happy, they are free to go to another school'. https://t.co/ZgDwhElZRb
4000 signatures from Muslims to have Ms Birbalsingh sacked Bricks through the school window Racism and teachers threatened she continued to fight and win her case against the Muslim Pupil What an inspiration for schools all over the United Kingdom https://t.co/nr2pMkwO8o