Muslim mum takes legal action against 'socialist Eton' school over face veil 'ban'

A Muslim mother is taking action against her daughter’s prestigious school – dubbed the ‘socialist Eton’ – after she was banned from wearing a face veil on the premises.

Rachida Serroukh, 37, has begun a discrimination case against Holland Park school, London, reports the Guardian after teachers took exception to her wearing a face veil as she attended a parents’ evening.

The problem started last month when the single mother of three attended an evening for parents of new pupils.

Serroukh was told by a member of staff that it was the school’s policy not to wear face veils on their premises.

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At first she thought that the teacher who raised the veil issue was talking about her daughter.

“I explained clearly that my daughter wears a headscarf and would not be coming to school in a face veil,” said Serroukh.

“Then I realised she was talking about me not my daughter.”

An aggrieved Serroukh then asked to see the school policy banning visitors from wearing a face veil, as she was aware that a friend had been to school events without any issue.

“I had had no problem from security at the school gate when I entered the school and nobody there had mentioned a policy. I always lift my veil and show my photo ID when required to do so for security purposes,” she said.

“I didn’t want to challenge the teacher until I had seen the policy.”

“A very shaken” Serroukh said the teacher then asked her to leave the school through the back exit.

National policy means it is up to all schools to decide their own policy on face veils, added the Guardian.

Holland Park’s deputy headteacher, Ross Wilson, said there was no written policy on banning face veils as it had “not been necessary to date”.

But he added there was a health and safety imperative to be able to identify anyone on site.

Serroukh’s solicitors have now written to the school for clarification, claiming it is a “straightforward” case of discrimination.

Notable former pupils at Holland Park, include MP Hilary Benn, Oscar-winning actress Anjelica Huston and comic Omid Djalili.