Hijab-clad girls sent back home

Washington, June 4: (PTI) Two Muslim students were allegedly sent home by a US school for wearing hijabs because they were not carrying a ‘note’ from parents to prove that they had donned the headscarves for religious reasons.

Hajah Bah and Fatmata Mansaray, both cousins and students of Freedom High School, Virginia, alleged that the school administrators harassed them over their decision to don hijabs, eventually prompting apologies from Prince William school division leaders.

Bah and Mansaray were quoted as saying by Inside NoVA that they were approached by a school administrator on Thursday and told that they would need a note from a parent to prove they were wearing the head coverings for religious reasons.

When they pushed back against that assertion, they were sent to the principal’s office and ultimately dismissed from the school for the day.

“Normally, I don’t wear the hijab at school, but this time I did because Ramadan fell during the school year and I was fasting,” Bah said. “But why do I need a note if it’s my religion?” she added.

As the word of the incident reached school division leaders, spokesman Phil Kavits said that they, “immediately determined that it runs counter to the PWCS (Prince William County Public Schools) commitment to diversity.”