Muslim scholars say that hijab is a religious obligation not a symbol to be easily abandoned

WASHINGTON, February 5 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies)  - A Louisiana high school removed a social studies teacher after he forcibly pulled the hijab of a Muslim student and made offensive remarks about her faith, a prominent national and Islamic civil rights group said on Wednesday, February 5.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said in a press release sent to IslamOnline.net that the 17-year-old student at West Jefferson High School in Harvey, La., said that the teacher pulled back her religiously-mandated hijab during a world history class on January 30.

After pulling on the student's hijab, the teacher allegedly said: "I hope God punishes you. No, I'm sorry, I hope Allah punishes you. I didn't know you had hair under there".

The student, who is of Iraqi heritage, told CAIR that the teacher had previously made offensive remarks about other students' ethnic or religious background.

West Jefferson High School Principal Lale Geer told the group that the teacher had been removed from the school. Geer also stressed that his school respects students of all cultures and that such behavior will not be tolerated.

Appreciated

The decision was applauded by CAIR as swift and decisive.

"We appreciate the school's swift and decisive action in response to this shocking incident," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.

"All students, regardless of their religious or ethnic background, should feel safe in our nation's classrooms," Hooper said.

He said a similar incident occurred recently in the United Kingdom, when a teacher allegedly pulled off the hijab of a teenage student and called Islam "a joke".

Hazel Dick, 43, of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, caused the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to suffer a "two centimeter" pin scratch on her neck.

The prosecutor told the court the girl heard her say: "'Well, your religion is a joke ... the bottom of my shoe is more important than Allah'."

Hopper added that CAIR is also challenging bans on hijab in Alabama driver's license photographs and in French public schools.

In August 2003, an American female police officer faced a dismissal for wearing hijab  while on duty after she was reprimanded and sent home without pay until she removed the religious covering.

More than 3,000 people marched on the French embassy in central London on January 17 to protest against it as part of a world-wide campaign against the ban in France – that has the largest populations of Muslims -- five to seven million -- and Jews -- 600,000 to 700,000.

Muslim scholars highlight that hijab is a religious obligation not a symbol to be easily abandoned. They also said that the covering is not worn to portray religious affiliations.