The Citadel[1], The Military College of SC, on Tuesday made a final determination to bar its student body from wearing a Muslim headscarf[2] called a hijab - a decision that may now lead to a lawsuit against the school[3] .
According to a statement[4] from Lt. Gen. Jon Rosa, an American Muslim student accepted to the Class of 2020 asked to wear a head cover, called a hijab, along with the Citadel's standard blue, black and white uniform.
In announcing the decision[5], the publicly funded military college in Charleston said[6] it recognized the importance of individual religious beliefs but would not grant the exception to the standardized uniform considered essential to its culture.
"We defend the right of American Muslims to practice their faiths while participating in all levels of society", Ibrahim Hooper with the CAIR said[7]. Administrators said they still wanted the woman to attend the institution, but did not indicate whether she had chose to attend.
Commandant of Cadets Geno Paluso said allowing the student to wear the head covering known as a hijab wouldn't be consistent with the school's policy of having cadets look similar. This was reportedly the first request for a religious exemption to the uniform in the college's history.
The military has recently relaxed its rules[8] for male Sikhs, allowing beards and turbans, but only if it does not interfere with military operations or safety. "The trend in the American military is to accommodate, and if our own nation's military, which is a real military, not just cadets, can accommodate, there's no reason why the Citadel can't as well".
Requests for religious accommodations are handled on a case-by-case basis and are commonly made for prayer and dietary needs, school officials said. For example, during the first week of school faith-based organizations on campus and from the community meet with freshmen cadets.
"We do everything we can to support our cadets", Ashworth said.
Hooper says precedents for religious accommodation in the USA military contradict the Citadel's decision.
Mr. Rosa said the school is proud of its diverse student body, noting that several Muslim students attend the academy.
As far as this potential military cadet is concerned, that fight may include legal action, particularly if The Citadel does not overturn its decision.
Mr. Pinelli said making a special accommodation for one student would not be fair to other students, who similarly leave aspects of their identities behind when they attend The Citadel. "I really hope she comes in the fall", he said, adding, "Anybody who wants to come gets a lot out of it".
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