Muslim teacher told, take off hijab

UPDATE:

A YOUNG Muslim woman was about to take up duties as an On The Job (OJT) teacher at Lakshmi Girls Hindu College in St Augustine yesterday when she was told by school officials she could not wear her hijab while teaching at the school.

The teacher, Nafiesa Nakhid, said she was told she would have to remove the hijab before entering the compound and she could put it back on after school was finished for the day. Nakhid said she chose not to take up duties if it meant taking off her hijab. She left the school and reported to the department who assigned her to Lakshmi Girls Hindu College. She was qualified to teach mechanical engineering.

“They were very apologetic and said they would try to place me in another school by next week,” Nakhid said. “I went to assume duties at Lakshmi Girls Hindu College. I met with the principal, the vice principal and the dean. They told me that I could take off my hijab before I entered the compound and put it on when I am leaving, or I just could not come in. So I chose not to stay and I left,” said Nakhid who added she has been wearing a hijab since the age of nine. Muslims are currently observing the holy month of Ramadan.

“I felt really targeted not in the sense that I am Muslim and wearing a hijab, but I just didn’t realise that these things were still happening in Trinidad and Tobago. I didn’t know what to feel at that moment. I didn’t know what to say, I was shocked that this was happening to me. My mum was very upset and was so sorry I had to experience something like this. It did not damage me, but it has left a lasting impression,” she said.

Nakhid said she is now considering all avenues including legal redress. When contacted, the school’s principal Sonia Mahase-Persad said she could not comment on the issue while several attempts to reach Secretary General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) Satnarayan Maharaj were unsuccessful. A school source said there is no rule or policy banning the wearing of hijabs enacted by the school’s administrators. Rather, it is a policy of the Maha Sabha Board to not have people on its headquarters wearing hijabs. The source added that the school and its staff must abide by the secular policies of the board, since the school is located within the Maha Sabha compound.

The source pointed out that there are devout Muslims on the school’s administrative and teaching staff and several students are Muslims as well as followers of other religions. Education Minister Anthony Garcia said this was the first time he was hearing about this issue. “We have to wait on all the facts. To comment on this without hearing both sides of the story I cannot do that. In TT we respect every religion, every creed and every race and there is absolutely no discrimination where that is concerned. Not having the information it is difficult for me to comment on it,” Garcia said.

ORIGINAL STORY:

A young Muslim woman said she was told by a secondary school principal that she could not wear her hijab while teaching on the school's premises.

She was told this as she took up duty as an On The Job (OJT) teacher at the school, located in East Trinidad.

The teacher said on reporting for work, she was told that she would have to remove the hijab before entering the premises, and could put it back on after school was finished for the day.

Education Minister Anthony Garcia said he was unaware of the situation but said this was a free country where every creed and race could function without harassment.

Newsday is trying to contact the principal of the school and the board for comment.