Citadel Won't Bend Rules to Allow Muslim Student to Wear Hijab in Uniform
The Citadel military college of South Carolina announced that it will not bend its dress code rules to allow a potential Muslim female student to wear a hijab.
The Washington Post reports that the family of a Muslim student who was accepted into The Citadel says it is now considering all legal options after the college's president announced Tuesday that the school will not provide a dress code accommodation allowing her to wear a hijab with the school's specified uniforms.
The school, which is known for its strict guidelines and discipline, requires that its cadets wear uniforms and to have short hair cuts.
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As it is standard for women in many Islamic cultures to cover their head and hair with headscarves when they go out in public, the accepted Muslim student requested that the school allow her to wear a hijab over her head while in uniform so that she can live in accordance with her faith while attending the school.
Although providing the accommodation would have forced The Citadel to grant its first-ever exception to the dress code in the school's 174-year history, Citadel officials said in April that they were considering giving the unnamed student her requested accommodation.
But in a statement issued on Tuesday, Citadel President Lt. Gen. John Rosa explained that the Commandant of Cadets, Geno F. Paluso II, ruled that the student's request could not be granted.
Rosa asserted that Paluso's decision was backed with support from The Citadel Board of Visitors.
"As the Military College of South Carolina, The Citadel has relied upon a highly effective educational model requiring all cadets to adopt a common uniform. Uniformity is the cornerstone of this four-year leader development model," Rosa stated. "The standardization of cadets in apparel, overall appearance, actions and privileges is essential to the learning goals and objectives of the college. This process reflects an initial relinquishing of self during which cadets learn the value of teamwork to function as a single unit. Upon graduation, The Citadel's graduates are prepared to enter a life committed to principled leadership in military service and civilian careers."
Although the school has rejected the student's religious accomidation request, Rosa continued by explaining how the school "recognizes the importance of a cadet's spiritual and religious beliefs" by providing needs and services "whenever possible."
"Cadet religious officers arrange transportation to churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship for those without cars. Accommodations for prayer and dietary needs are common at the college," the statement explained.
There are currently three Muslim students enrolled at The Citadel but none of them have asked for such an accommodation.
The student in question is unlikely to attend The Citadel now that the school has rejected her religious accommodation request, according to the Center on American-Islamic Relations.
"It's another step in the struggle for patriotic Americans who want to serve their country," CAIR spokesman Corey Saylor told ABC News. "In 2016, it's time for them to look at America today and understand that a diverse group of people want to go through the Citadel and follow a path to serve their country."
CAIR's Ibrahim Hooper told CNN that it is a constitutional right for the student to be able to wear her hijab in uniform.
"We believe that it's a constitutional obligation for a public institution to offer religious accommodation to students," Hooper said.
The Daily Caller reports that The Citadel's decision comes at a time when uniform regulations are becoming increasingly relaxed by the United State military. In April, the U.S. Army granted a Sikh Army captain the right to wear his beard and turban in uniform in order to live in accordance with his faith.
"Our U.S. military allows hijabs, beards, turbans, yarmulkes," Hooper added. "It makes you wonder why the Citadel thinks they're somehow better than our nation's military."
