Katharine Birbalsingh should be awarded with a damehood after her school's prayer ban was deemed lawful, according to a Muslim think tank boss.
A Muslim student at Birbalsingh’s school lost their High Court challenge to overturn the controversial policy.
Speaking on GB News, Dr Taj Hargey told Andrew Pierce and Bev Turner that common sense has prevailed as he heralded the decision.
“Cohesion is such a huge problem in society and when we have people like Katharine Birbalsingh trying to bring about a united, uniformed school, we should be applauding her”, he said.
Dr Hargey said there is a lot to learn from Birbalsingh's approach
GB NEWS
“This is fantastic news and I hope that people make the point that prayers are required, but they can be postponed to later in the day.
“For example, if I’m a heart surgeon and someone has a problem during prayer time, do I pray? No. I treat my patients.
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Katharine Birbalsingh has been branded 'Britain's Strictest Headteacher'
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Dr Taj Hargey joined Andrew Pierce and Bev Turner on GB News
GB NEWS
“Islam is flexible. It’s fanatics and extremists who insist we should be following this to the letter when Islam is actually a lot more accommodating.”
Dr Hargey said there is a lot to learn from the approach taken by the person many dub ‘Britain’s Strictest Headteacher’.
He told GB News: “Some people, especially Muslim parents, teach children that it’s ‘them and us’.
“This type of indoctrination and brainwashing is very dangerous of our society. When Katharine Birbalsingh brings us together with things like a lunch time get together, this is a wonderful thing.
“We should be applauding her or giving her a medal. In fact, I don’t know why we haven’t made her a dame yet.”
Birbalsingh’s school is the high-achieving Michaela Community School in Brent, North London.
It has a strict stance on prayer rituals and the student, who cannot be named, took legal action claiming the policy was discriminatory and ‘uniquely’ affected her faith due to its ritualised nature.
In a written ruling on Tuesday, Mr Justice Linden dismissed the pupil’s arguments against the prayer rituals ban.
The judge said there was a “a rational connection between the aim of promoting the team ethos of the school, inclusivity, social cohesion etc and the prayer ritual policy”.
He said: “The disadvantage to Muslim pupils at the school caused by the prayer ritual policy is in my view outweighed by the aims which it seeks to promote in the interests of the school community as a whole, including Muslim pupils.”
