British teacher fired for wearing a veil in class

[Marc and Olga 0]

Aishah Azmi's interview with the BBC...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/avdb/news/vide...429_16x9_nb.asx

She sounds like a complete ditz.

What a freaking idiot.

I like the ending where he is asking her about being interviewed by a male govenor at the school.

[PlatyPius 5]

It has nothing to do with her culture or being muslim. She just can't speak clearly. I could barely understand a word she said. I imagine the kids were having the same problem, so seeing her lips would be a necessity to understand what the hell she's saying.

Everyone always wants to make this a discrimination thing or a racist thing. It isn't. She "lied" in that she did not wear a veil to the job interview, but started wearing one after she was hired. She can barely speak coherent English. Honestly, I don't know why she was teaching in the first place. Part of learning is understanding what the teacher is saying. If the kids can't understand her, their education is suffering. I don't care that she's muslim. I wouldn't want ANYone who couldn't speak clear English (at a reasonable speed....not the machine-gun way she was speaking) teaching my children.

[mybackpages 0]

It has nothing to do with her culture or being muslim. She just can't speak clearly. I could barely understand a word she said. I imagine the kids were having the same problem, so seeing her lips would be a necessity to understand what the hell she's saying.

Everyone always wants to make this a discrimination thing or a racist thing. It isn't. She "lied" in that she did not wear a veil to the job interview, but started wearing one after she was hired. She can barely speak coherent English. Honestly, I don't know why she was teaching in the first place. Part of learning is understanding what the teacher is saying. If the kids can't understand her, their education is suffering. I don't care that she's muslim. I wouldn't want ANYone who couldn't speak clear English (at a reasonable speed....not the machine-gun way she was speaking) teaching my children.

I know before I post that I may be opening a can of worms here and offending someone, but I never understood the Islamic jurisprudence advocating the veil. When a woman participates in Hajj in Mecca - the holiest city in Islam- veils are prohbited. If you can't wear a veil then, how is it a requirement in everyday life- it is a cultural interpretation not a religious requirement.

[ajames79 0]

Aishah Azmi's interview with the BBC...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/avdb/news/vide...429_16x9_nb.asx

She sounds like a complete ditz.

What a freaking idiot.

You guys are being very hard and some people do not understand enough about islam or culture. It should not bother anybody. And this talk is why there is so many issues between the culture. I understood her, the thing that gets me is that you feel like you need to see the lips to understand english. This is interesting maybe this goes more in to a different form communcation but understanding what she said I could hear what she said. A point the interview brought up was that when she was interviewed did she wear the veil she did not want to answer and this makes me feel like she lied. Lying is not good and it is sad that you have to lie about yourself to get a job. She did not wear the veil at the interview and this says a lot about the society that we live. I am in the military and I made a transition as far as being muslim and I did not wear hijib at work, I do not veil but I have though about it. It seems like more men want you when you with someone. And again like my previous post it is something that is seen as you are married or taken. I think it is cool and the problem is people should not be offended by it. I hope that people do not get to crazy, but if you listen to her she speaks very well.

My thoughts on her are not based on her culture or religion, they were based by the way she spoke on national tv. I think she spoke very poorly and it made her appear to be an idiot. I would think that of any one who spoke in that way on TV.

Edited October 15, 2006 by ajames79

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

... she speaks very well.

HAHA!!!

Too funny.

[Mirorgate 0]

... she speaks very well.

HAHA!!!

Too funny.

[Heracles 417]

what grade was she teacing? how old are the children?

irrelevant. What would happen to a western women wearing a short skirt in a muslim country??

[Marc and Olga 0]

what grade was she teacing? how old are the children?

irrelevant. What would happen to a western women wearing a short skirt in a muslim country??

I believe VP has a reason for asking so here you go:

Many of the 529 boys and girls aged seven to 11 at Headfield Church of England Junior are from ethnic backgrounds where English is not the first language.

from the original story.

Am I correct to guess that the covering of the body (for lack of a better way to phrase it) is only required if the people who will be seeing you are above a certain age?

[mybackpages 0]

Am I correct to guess that the covering of the body (for lack of a better way to phrase it) is only required if the people who will be seeing you are above a certain age?

yes that's basically it - age and relationship to the person.

[Nizzy 1]

I agree with what someone said about what would happen if a teacher in let's say Pakistan started wearing mini skirts to teach. I hope I'm not being mean but umm well she should go teach in an Islamic country if she is complaining about her rights. I know I shouldn't base my judgment on a few experiences I have had overseas but man it makes my blood boil when someone tells me I have to cover up so as to avoid tempting men. I say have THEM gouge their eyes out if they feel uncomfortable with what I am wearing.

[Donna A 4]

i would not want her teaching my kids english at all. she hardly could speak clearly.

i think she is just a trouble maker.

she didnt even cover her face at the interview by a man so why all of a sudden should she cover up.

[mawilson 2,133]

It has nothing to do with her culture or being muslim. She just can't speak clearly. I could barely understand a word she said. I imagine the kids were having the same problem, so seeing her lips would be a necessity to understand what the hell she's saying.

Everyone always wants to make this a discrimination thing or a racist thing. It isn't. She "lied" in that she did not wear a veil to the job interview, but started wearing one after she was hired. She can barely speak coherent English. Honestly, I don't know why she was teaching in the first place. Part of learning is understanding what the teacher is saying. If the kids can't understand her, their education is suffering. I don't care that she's muslim. I wouldn't want ANYone who couldn't speak clear English (at a reasonable speed....not the machine-gun way she was speaking) teaching my children.

I agree 100%.

[Mags 112]

She was interviewed AGAIN on the TV this morning. Not only could I NOT understand her still, she also came across to me as extremely arrogant. Her lawyer who is representing her was beside her and she interupted him numerous times.

When the interviewer asked her about a legal point she started yammering away and he had to hold his hand up to her and say "I'm sorry, I have to answer this, it is a legal question."

I'm sorry, she is in the wrong and this whole thing strikes me as a "ME ME ME" thing.

Edited October 16, 2006 by mags

[Veiled Princess 1]

Aishah Azmi's interview with the BBC...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/avdb/news/vide...429_16x9_nb.asx

She sounds like a complete ditz.

####### did she say half the time anyway? veil wasnt the issue.. she just cant talk.

She seemed nervous... she said she's just there to say that she did NOT refuse to take it off in front of those children... that all she said was that she has to keep her veil on in front of her male colleagues.

I don't see what qualifies her as a ditz.

what grade was she teacing? how old are the children?

irrelevant. What would happen to a western women wearing a short skirt in a muslim country??

Not much... they wear shorts at the pyramids all the time

[Mags 112]

Well, there was no way, in her interview today, that she was nervous. As I said, she came across as quite arrogant and full of herself.

*shrugs*

The majority of her interview today was about how she feels wearing a veil doesn't impede childrens' learning. As mentioned before, I had trouble understanding her...it isn't her accent that is the problem (her accent was very mild IMO) but her command of the language was, to put it bluntly, ineloquent.