BOSTON HERALD: A Muslim-American advocacy group filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over a Boston college’s policy that forbids face coverings, including traditional Islamic garb.
The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences banned face coverings last fall, citing security and the need to be able to match students with their mandatory photo IDs, and a college spokesman says the only two female Muslim students on campus who might be affected had no objection.
But Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Washington-based Council on American Islamic Relations, which filed the complaint, said, “Even though the policy refers to students it will clearly impact the staff and employees as well.” >>> O’Ryan Johnson | Thursday, January 07, 2010
DIGITAL JOURNAL: A Massachusetts college has banned students, faculty, and staff from wearing any kind of face covering, outraging some Muslim groups. The ban is believed to be the first of its kind at a U.S. college.
A spokesman for the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences told the Boston Globe yesterday that the ban was intended to protect the public safety on its three campuses. The prohibition includes such items as ski masks and scarves, and is not specifically aimed at the traditional Islamic burka.
“It’s no surprise that college safety has become a huge issue of importance in the past couple years,” said college spokesman Michael Ratty. “This is another measure that public safety [officials] wanted to implement to keep the campus safer.” >>> Martin Laine | Wednesday, January 06, 2010
THE BOSTON GLOBE: The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has banned students, faculty, and staff from covering their faces on its three campuses in an effort to ensure public safety, a college spokesman said yesterday.
But the new policy has drawn flak from a Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, which wants the school to exempt Muslim women who veil their faces for religious reasons.
“It’s a very strange policy,’’ said Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations. “I don’t know where it came from. The only thing we can conclude is that it’s designed to specifically target Muslims.’’
Sarah Wunsch, staff attorney at the ACLU of Massachusetts, called the policy “puzzling and possibly illegal.’’ >>> Martin Finucane | Wednesday, January 6, 2010
