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MALDEN, Mass. — A Massachusetts constitution college the place an eighth grade pupil was written up for a uniform infraction for carrying a hijab says it understands its “dealing with of the scenario got here throughout as insensitive.”
A member of the family of the Mystic Valley Regional Constitution College pupil posted on social media an image of the “College Uniform Compliance Type” the scholar acquired from a instructor for the hijab on Thursday. Within the description of the infraction, the headband worn by Muslim ladies was misspelled as “jihab.”
The college stated in an emailed assertion that it permits college students to put on spiritual apparel “as an expression of their sincerely held beliefs,” however asks college students to supply a letter “expressing this want from a member of their clergy.”
College Superintendent Alex Dan stated there have been no penalties given to the scholar and that the shape despatched residence was meant to start out the dialog with the household about acquiring a non secular lodging. However Dan acknowledged that the scenario was mishandled.
“Whereas we want to reiterate that the well-respected workers member overseeing the method ought to bear no accountability for what has transpired, we perceive how our dealing with of the scenario got here throughout as insensitive and sit up for utilizing this second as a studying alternative to enhance our insurance policies and procedures,” the college’s assertion stated.
The Massachusetts chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations says its attorneys are representing the scholar’s household and are investigating the scenario. The scholar is now carrying a hijab in school, the group stated.
CAIR-Massachusetts Govt Director Tahirah Amatul-Wadud stated carrying a hijab or different spiritual apparel shouldn’t require households to hunt an lodging.
“I would really like by no means for that pupil need to justify what she is carrying,” she stated Sunday. “I don’t need them to ever need to justify that this requires an lodging.”
The Mystic Valley Regional Constitution College additionally got here underneath hearth in 2017 for a coverage of banning hair braid extensions. The dad and mom of then-15-year-olds stated their twin daughters, who’re Black, had been punished for carrying extensions whereas white college students hadn’t been punished for violations of haircut rules.
After intense criticism, together with from Democratic Massachusetts Legal professional Basic Maura Healey, the college deserted the coverage.
In July, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker signed a regulation prompted by that incident to ban discrimination primarily based on pure and protecting hairstyles — similar to Afros, cornrows or tightly coiled twists — in workplaces, college districts and school-related organizations within the state.
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