As the new school year started, new rules on school uniform came into place at our school.

As a year 11 pupiand senior prefect at Pleckgate High School, Blackburn, my role is to set a good example for the younger pupils to follow which means following the rules and requirements – including school uniform.

The reason behind making a school headscarf was due to the minority of girls who wore their scarves in a way which did not conform to the school rules.

Some girls would wear extremely big scarves, making their heads look no less than the size of Jupiter and this made the school question whether they were wearing it for the right reasons. Also the school argued that some girls wore their scarfs in a way which would cause serious health hazards.

Therefore the whole population of headscarf wearers were punished and made to wear a school headscarf.

This meant wearing a small, nun-like scarf with bizarre flaps. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Muslim with firm beliefs and I wear a headscarf for the pure, simple reason to cover my head. However, surely I have the right to look my best without raising eyebrows about my modesty?

At first I did not like the look of the scarf and I would be lying if I said my opinions have changed on its appearance, however, I can say my attitude towards the scarf has.

I wear a headscarf my own free will and therefore am fully comfortable when I wear it.

However, is it right to be made to wear a headscarf which I am not comfortable with?

For me being comfortable is extremely important and wearing a headscarf which you are not comfortable in defeats its purpose.

Therefore I was hesitant towards the school headwear at first but as a senior prefect, I really had no choice and fighting against the idea seemed like a losing battle.

Nonetheless there were some pupils who did not have the same outlook and decided to rebel against the school scarf.

They decided to wear their normal headscarves which they have always worn.

This was not a popular idea with the teachers and there were warnings given here and there. Until it came to a point where teachers really had had enough and therefore decided it would be right to remove these pupils from their prefect positions.

I tried to get a statement from a pupil who has also been affected by the change in school uniform but many refused as they were intimidated by the potential consequences they may have to face if they voiced their rightful opinions.

However, a headscarf wearer at Pleckgate who would like to remain anonymous told the Asian Image, ‘I was a senior prefect but I was demoted just because I didn’t wear the school scarf, even though it didn’t fit’.

She then went on to say ‘it didn’t cover my neck’ which was an argument many girls had. After disagreements between the girls and teachers over the headscarf, they finally gave in and realised the only successful way to make us wear the headscarf was by allowing us to have an input on the design.

This way we could work together to design a scarf which would conform to the school rules as well as Islamic principles.

Therefore the deputy head teacher and a handful of head scarf wearers are currently working on the issue.