A Catholic secondary school which excluded two 14-year-old Muslim
boys because they refused to shave off their beards, has now backed
down, but set strict conditions for the wearing of beards.
Amid fears that the ban might clash with human rights legislation and
after advice from the Bishop of Salford the governors of Mount Carmel
High in Accrington, Lancashire, have now agreed that beards will be
allowed in certain clearly defined circumstances.
The two boys have been receiving lessons in the school's isolation
unit since the beginning of the term after ignoring an order issued in
the summer to several Asian pupils to return clean-shaven for the new
academic year.
The school's head, Xavier Bowers, said the decision was
based on the school's dress code and was not a religious issue.
Initially he refused to change his position and the boys were given an
ultimatum to either shave or leave.
However, last Friday Mr Bowers and the governors issued a statement
saying that the school would allow Muslim boys to grow a beard as a sign
of their faith as long as they have started the Hafiz programme.
It
requires the student to attend a mosque for up to three hours a day to
pray and learn the Qur'an by heart in Arabic.
The school said in a statement: "The Bishop of Salford's advice has
been for governors of Mount Carmel to work with the local Islamic
leaders to support boys who are genuinely and fully committed to their
faith. With this in mind and in line with European Human Rights legislation
governors have taken the decision to only allow Muslim boys permission
to grow a beard as a sign of their faith as long as they have started
the Hafiz programme at their local mosques."