[Hyperlink in original - Pic of the letter in the source page]

A mother of a student at the Jesode Hatora — Beth Jacob School in Antwerp received a modesty form letter from the school’s management threatening her with “unpleasant steps” if she did not fully conform to the school’s modesty requirements, the Forward reported based on a report in the Belgian Jewish weekly newspaper Joods Actueel.

The letter, first publicized by a group called Jesode Hatora - Beth Jacob Watch, contained the dress code and other modesty requirements the woman was expected to follow and noted that “unfortunately, there has been a weakness on your behalf in adhering to some of the above rules.—[Mothers of pupils are expected to follow all of these rules] at all times and especially at all school activities, i.e. bringing/fetching school parties and parent-teacher meetings.—Further non-compliance with the school will result in unpleasant steps being taken which we want to avoid if at all possible.”

On Monday the principal of Jesode Hatora - Beth Jacob Isi Morsel wrote a letter to all parents defending the “Dear mother” modesty letter. He claimed school management sent the “Dear mother” letter in response to a petition signed by 180 parents. Those parents complained that the school wasn’t enforcing its strict modesty rules that were being broken by a small number of parents. He also claimed the modesty rules only are meant to apply when mothers are on school premises involved in school activities.

In response to the “Dear mother” letter, the education minister for Flanders, the region of Belgium that includes Antwerp, called for a review of school dress codes while Fons Duchateau, Antwerp’s alderman in charge of diversity, lashed out at the school, which is state-funded, and demanded its management provide an explanation for the letter. She reportedly said that while she supports freedom of religion, “tying school choices to wardrobe choices is beyond going too far.”