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Council on American-Islamic Relations Writes to EEOC About Massachusetts School

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January 6, 2010 RSS Feed Print
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The Council on American-Islamic Relations wants to file a third-party complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after a Massachusetts college banned all clothing that covers a student's face, CAIR said in a letter to the EEOC on Wednesday.

The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Services implemented its new policy around the same time that an alumnus of the college was arrested for plotting terrorist strikes. The school says the ban has nothing to do with the arrest of 2008 graduate Tarek Mehanna, but CAIR says that the policy "negatively impacts the religious rights" of the school's faculty and staff. There is no mention of students in CAIR's complaint letter.

"We believe this policy has a disproportionate impact on the religious rights of Muslim employees and is in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employers from discriminating against individuals because of their religion in hiring, firing and other terms and conditions of employment," the letter reads. "The new policy allows for a medical exemption that we believe must be matched with an exemption for those whose religious beliefs include covering the face."

The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences office of communications could not be reached for comment. We'll update you once we hear from the school.

Tags:
discrimination,
Islam,
colleges

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When a friend of mine visited a Muslim country, out of respect she had to cover her head and wear certain clothing..out of respect for their religious and cultural beliefs. When immigrants come to this country they need to respect and obey our laws and beliefs---it works both ways. It is arrogance on their part to demand we change our laws or regulations just to fit them. If they want to continue and cling to their beliefs they should stay in their own country. My sons and daughters had to abide by school regulations when they attended school. They had to cut their hair and wear the uniform or appropriate clothing---those are regulations we all live by.

s of FL 2:28PM January 15, 2010

This school needs to SEE where the QURAN says that WOMEN mUST COVER it only says they have to cover their BREASTRS and those who COVER THEMSELVES are FUNDAMENTALIST who are trouble makers wherever they go...I would not let them sway me due to CAIR..CAIR is KNOWN for supporting terrorism and the FBI is on their asses all the time for their crooked ways. CAIR spends its time harassing AMERICA FORCING US into SHARIA LAW..We need to TAKE A STAND and the school has a right to not allow head coverings and it is NOT a religious requirement and CAIR can not prove it is!

I was married to an IRANIAN Muslim and had middle Eastern restaurants..I know what I am talking about..CAIR is a BULLY Against AMERICA and this school needs to tell them to shut the hell up...

PAMELA DEANNE of GA 9:00PM January 11, 2010

If the laws in this country are skewered towards one religion, that religion certainly is not Judaism.

How are Jews trying to change your way of life to accomodate them?

Public schools and places of work are not closed on Jewish holy days, last I looked.

I am not Jewish and like you (probably) I am really tired of our involvement in the mid east when we have enough to straighten out at home, but I think you are really off base in your comment.

By the by, this was eluded to by another poster, but I am told that the Koran is not specific as regards to the type of clothing a Muslim should wear. It just requests that clothing of both female AND MALE should be modest.

I have heard that some would-be terrorists were caught via face recognition technology. I know that for some the method is an invasion of privacy, but in some cities it is illegal to walk the streets with your face covered. No masks, either. Philosophically, I don't like the idea, but practically, it is hard to argue when perhaps my life was saved by it.

I think attire in school should be fine so long as it does not call attention to oneself as being different. Pink hair is out. I think a burka should also be out. People in the difficult position that some Islamists with children find themselves in, in the US, have founded their own religious schools.

Joan Dalton of AL 4:03PM January 08, 2010

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