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The headscarf controversy comes to the US. It's a strange incident: it seems that this instructor had a policy against headgear in class, as it obstructed the view of other students. So he asked a Muslim girl to remove her headscarf. Now he has resigned under pressure, to the delight of the Council on American Islamic Relations. But was this really an anti-Islamic incident? From NBC4TV, with thanks to Twostellas:
An Antelope Valley College instructor resigned Thursday, a week after ordering a Muslim student to take off her religiously mandated head scarf or leave class, school officials said.Robert Daniel, described as a part-time instructor, taught an introduction to computer science information course. He resigned in writing this morning, school officials said.
The college's Board of Trustees was expected to decide Friday night what action to take against Daniel. The school said other instructors will be brought in to teach the two spring semester courses that had been assigned to Daniel.
Daniel could not be reached for comment.
Fajr Burhan is a 19-year-old electrical engineering student. She was born in Phoenix but her parents are from Syria. About five years ago, Burhan began wearing the traditional Muslim hajib head scarf.
Burhan said the garb had never been a problem at the school until last week, when Daniel told her to remove the hajib.
Daniel told her "to either stay and follow his rules (by removing the scarf) or leave the class," Burhan said.
Burhan is in her last semester at Antelope Valley and hopes to graduate this year and transfer to UCI. To graduate, she needed to pass the course Daniel taught.
Burhan said Daniel made the demand knowing the scarf's religious significance, although she acknowledged that Daniel told her he does not allow hats or headgear because they can block the view of other students.
After a discussion with Tom Miller, the school's dean of business and computer studies, Burhan returned to class wearing the hajib, but said Daniel ignored her when she tried to answer questions.
Interim AVC President Jackie Fisher, who said the school does not have a dress code and has a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination, later apologized to Burhan.
Ra'id Faraj of the Southern California office of the Council on American- Islamic Relations applauded the move.
"It's really bizarre that we would encounter this in a college," Faraj said.
Posted by Robert at February 29, 2004 7:35 AM
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It was a really stupid move on the teacher's part. It is going to cause a 'davka' reaction - "You don't want me to wear the hijab? Davka - I will wear it! ('Davka' doesn't translate into English - you have to feel it.)
Posted by: Chaya Eitan at February 29, 2004 8:55 AMA college instructor should know better. He just gave more ammunition to CAIR and their ilk.
Posted by: zorkmidden at February 29, 2004 10:00 AMIf the student with the headscarf was blocking another student's view, a simple solution would have been to have the woman sit in the back of the room so that no one else's view would be blocked.
Posted by: Barry Greenspan at February 29, 2004 10:34 AMNevertheless, why is she allowed to wear her Hijab when other students can not wear caps, hats etc. This was the rule when I went to school and you knew this before you got up in the morning.
Even if I should wear a cap with no advertisemtnts and perhaps the school emblem on it, this would not be allowed. No head gear means no headgear.
It won't be long before we will have the spectacle of girls and women marching in the streets of American cities for hijab as they are in Europe. Making provisions for "special cases" is against the rules Americans schools where students all want to be treated the same. Special previliges are seen as unfair and cause backfire against the students and the school.
However, I agree with the comment made about the women's placement in the class. She should have been placed in the back of the room where she wouldn't have obtructed the view. Of course, this will be viewed as decrimination against a Mulism woman. She doesn't (or won't) see that her dress in an inconvenience for the rest of the class.
Sharia is taking a tiny toe hold in America. Beware.
Posted by: epg at March 5, 2004 6:30 AM This is in response to Avatar and epg
They are the 4th and 5th responses down respectfully
You two seem well educated, which is why you won't mine me calling you ignorant to this situation.
You probably have items that you consider religious. I assume you don't treat them as objects, but rather a part of your heritage. Belief in these items has come from many years of cultural development. Which is why you cannot compare a hat or headgear to a hijab.
That is like saying: apples, oranges, Mt Fuji.
Hijab isn't simply a hat. Like the cross isn't a plus sign. (I use this as a random example) By putting hijab in the same sentence as a baseball cap is ignorant.
"Special privileges are seen as unfair and cause backfire against the students and the school."
eng
Hijab is not a special privilege, it's a right. It's like saying no pants are allowed in schools. Don't give me that "when you come to our country you follow by our rules BS...". If you haven't noticed over the last 50 years, your country has become our country. The US thrives on immigrants. I think the only true settlers here are the Natives.
Besides they use to think it was crazy to let an African Americans sit in the front of the bus. "Why give them that "special privilege"? Which is generally what they would say.
I realize that it might sound like I'm preaching a storm,
But to you it's headgear
To other's it is a part of their identity.
oh yeah,
I'm not Muslim
As a child I use to have a Muslim friend who wore a headscarf. I liked it so much I tried to pull it off her head a couple of times.
Nowadays, we don't talk.
I guess too many bad memories of bobby pin headaches.
wow that really hit a nerve.
ok bye
Cherry
I appreciate all those who have supported me and thank you very much for all your thoughtful comments.
I feel that it is important to promote freedom of choice in this country. It is what our country stands for.
Best wishes to all.
Fajr Burhan
Posted by: Fajr Burhan at May 1, 2004 10:24 PM
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