Britain's 'strictest teacher' slams Braverman for 'political' comments

• Katharine Birbalsingh accuses ex-Home Secretary of politicising court victory
• Ms Braverman hailed win over Muslim pupil while promoting Tory school policy
• READ MORE: Headteacher says prayer ban was backed by senior Muslim leaders 

Britain’s ‘strictest headteacher’ has told Suella Braverman to ‘take a hike’ after the former Home Secretary hailed her victory in court against a Muslim schoolgirl who had protested her ban on prayers during the school day.

Katharine Birbalsingh, head of Michaela Community School, hit out at Ms Braverman after the MP took to social media to congratulate the establishment on winning its legal battle against the youngster, who claimed its policy was discriminatory.

Ms Braverman, who co-founded the school in Wembley, North London alongside Ms Birbalsingh in 2014, called the victory over the youngster a ‘turning point for the country’ in a post on X, formerly Twitter, earlier this week.

But the teacher, described as among the most rigorous in the country, shrugged off the politician’s praise in tweets of her own, accusing the Conservative of having an ‘agenda’ and seeking to ‘enhance her political career’.

She also accused the BBC of trying to ‘smear’ the school with its coverage of the case; the broadcaster has previously reported claims by former Muslim pupils of the school that they were made to feel ‘toxic’, claims the school vigorously denied.

Katharine Birbalsingh hit out at Suella Braverman, accusing the former Home Secretary of using her school like a ‘political football’

Ms Braverman took to social media to hail Michaela Community School’s victory in court over a Muslim pupil – before praising the Tories’ free school policy that allowed the school to exist

The school, in Wembley, north London (pictured) is often described as Britain’s strictest

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Ms Birbalsingh said Ms Braverman and the BBC – of whose coverage she has been critical – could ‘take a hike’

Ms Birbalsingh wrote on X, formerly Twitter: ‘I really am not happy with Suella Braverman using our school as a political football to enhance her political career.

‘It is as unacceptable as the BBC doing their best to smear us. Everyone seems to have an agenda… Both Braverman and the BBC can take a hike.’

A previous version of the tweet included a green-hued ‘sick’ emoji after the word ‘agenda’; this was later removed.

READ MORE: I’ll carry on fighting to defend our way of life. If parents don’t like it, their children can go elsewhere, writes Britain’s strictest head KATHARINE BIRBALSINGH

Ms Birbalsingh appeared to respond to tweets sent by Ms Braverman on Thursday in which she hailed the victory over the Muslim pupil, known only in court documents as TTT, who had sought to overturn the prayer ban.

Ms Braverman said in one of a series of posts that Michaela was ‘one of the best schools in the country’, adding that it would not have existed without the introduction of the Tories’ Free School Policy established in 2010.

She said: ‘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.

‘Michaela is one of the best schools in the country because of empowered staff, high academic & behavioural standards & a unifying vision by which every child can be inspired. It would not have existed without the Conservatives’ Free School Policy.

‘Does everyone get everything they want all of the time? No, because everyone accepts that they must all compromise in order to work together & achieve the common good.

‘This is a model of how a successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith society can work. We need more Michaela’s!’

Writing for The Times in 2019, ex-Home Secretary Ms Braverman – who was sacked last year after writing a contentious column that undermined the Metropolitan Police’s handling of Palestinian protests – praised the school’s ‘tough stance on behaviour and discipline’.

Suella Braverman’s tweets, following which she was accused of using the school – which she co-founded, as a ‘political football’

Ms Braverman has not responded to Ms Birbalsingh’s tweets; MailOnline has contacted the Fareham MP’s office for further comment.

At a hearing in January, the High Court was told that Ms Birbalsingh, a former government social mobility tsar, introduced the ban on prayer rituals on the premises in March last year, with it being backed by the governing body in May.

The student’s lawyers argued the policy ‘uniquely’ affected her faith due to its ritualised nature.

The pupil alleged the school’s stance on prayer, one of the five pillars of Islam, was ‘the kind of discrimination which makes religious minorities feel alienated from society’.

Her legal team said she was making a ‘modest’ request to be allowed to pray for around five minutes at lunch time, on dates when faith rules required it, but not during lessons.

The school argued its policy was justified as it risked ‘undermining inclusion and social cohesion’ between pupils, would again expose it to ‘an unacceptable risk of threats’ and that it avoided ‘logistical disruption’.

In a judgment on Tuesday, a judge concluded the ban did not interfere with the student’s rights and was ‘proportionate’ amid the school’s aim to promote an ethos of inclusivity and social cohesion.

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