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Jeddah school bans girl for wearing scarf
amatullah
01/28/03 at 07:08:09
Jeddah school bans girl for wearing scarf
By Dr. Khaled M. Batrafi, Special to Arab News



JEDDAH, 26 January 2003 — An international school in Jeddah, which has boys and girls of varying nationalities on its rolls, has banned an Egyptian Muslim girl for wearing a head scarf. The girl, Lujain, was banned from Jeddah Prep and Grammar School and was forced to look for another in order to continue her studies.

She said that other girls wearing head scarves are forced to remove them every morning before entering the school.

Tarek Mohammed Muneer, Lujain’s father, said he was surprised when the director of the school denied his daughter entry to the school last Ramadan.

“When I asked him the reason, he told me that the school is not religious and that the head scarf is a religious symbol,” the father said.

“When I argued that this is unacceptable in an Arab and Muslim country, especially if there are a large number of Muslim girls in the school, he said he would refer the matter to the school board for a final ruling.”

The matter, however, remains unresolved till present.

When contacted, the school administrative secretary said the school policy is a total ban on head scarves. She added, “Any girl wearing a head scarf will not be allowed to enter the school.”

Muneer, the father, said he managed to get admission for Lujain at Jeddah Continental School, which does not impose any ban on head scarf
Re: Jeddah school bans girl for wearing scarf
Taalibatul_ilm
01/28/03 at 07:17:11
[slm]

Although the whole incident is totally sickening, here is an update.  I really pray that they punish those who made the initial decision.  It is so sad that he felt like he could get away with it here, of all places.

School scraps head scarf ban
By Dr. Khaled M. Batrafi, Special to Arab News



JEDDAH, 28 January 2003 — Jeddah Prep and Grammar School, which caused controversy by barring an Egyptian girl for wearing a head scarf (hijab), has said it is abandoning its policy of a total ban on head scarves with immediate effect.

The school adopted the decision in response to the firm stand taken by the Education Department in Jeddah and the public outcry created by the reports on the issue published by Arab News.

The school, established by the British and Dutch embassies, also contacted the father of Lujain, the girl denied entry last Ramadan for wearing the hijab, and told him his daughter could rejoin the institution.

"The school has decided to adopt a formal policy permitting the wearing of hijab with immediate effect," said Julian Johansen, chairman of the school’s board of governors, in a press statement issued on Sunday night.

Johansen said the decision was taken after consultations with the headmaster and the board members.

"Previously, the school never had to consider the issue of girl pupils wearing hijab, as the problem had not arisen," the statement said, adding, "the school continues to cooperate with the responsible authorities in the Kingdom in all aspects of its management."

"As a courtesy, Lujain’s family has been informed of this decision. They have been invited to discuss Lujain rejoining the school, if she and her family feel that is appropriate," Johansen said.

Arab News has learned that Abdullah Al-Howaimil, director of education in Jeddah, ordered an investigation of the school management to consider punishing the officials who took the controversial decision to ban hijab.

The school is under the Education Ministry’s supervision, and banning hijab is a violation of the ministry’s rules and regulations for foreign schools as well as Saudi custom and tradition.

Lujain’s father, Tarek Mohammed Muneer, told Arab News that he had been confident from the beginning that Saudi authorities would take a firm stance. He thanked Arab News for taking up the issue.


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