Hijab-Wearing Schoolgirl Barred From Classes In Spain

I actually have no problem with a woman wearing a scarf. Back in the the 20th century, women wore scarves all the time, although it wasn't a religious but rather a fashion statement. It was also quite handy if their hair was dirty or for those with a 'bad hair day'. Some women still wear scarves when driving in convertible cars, so as not to end up with a mess of tangled hair when they reach their destination. Women with cancer also often wear scarves to cover their bald heads while undergoing chemo, so seeing a woman wear a pretty, loose-fitting scarf, like they do in Tehran, is not offensive in any way. Of course, it does depend on the scarf and how it's worn. Ironically, a woman wearing a black, tight-fitting scarf that looks more like a religious statement is liable to be gawked at, (which is obviously not their intention) more so than if she were to wear a loos-fitting scarf or not at all.

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But there are some circumstances where head coverings, be they hats, caps or scarfs are not allowed, and rules must be adhered to, although they're not always appreciated. A school in Spain has those particular rules regarding head coverings of any kind, and so they refused to allow a young 16-year-old Muslim girl to attend classes because she refused to remove her hijab (headscarf). Of course, this decision has caused a huge outcry from the Islamic community.

A Moroccan immigrants' association in Spain Friday condemned a school's decision to bar a 16-year-old girl from class for refusing to take off her Islamic headscarf.

"For the past several weeks Najwa Malha cannot go to class in her school, which is contrary to her right to a basic education guaranteed by the constitution," said the head of the association, Kamal Ramoini.

The head of the school, which is in the Madrid region, said in a statement its internal regulations bar "the use of hats and any other article of clothing that cover the head."

Ramoini, who heads the Association of Moroccan Workers and Immigrants in Spain, said the group had made known its "deep disagreement with this decision."

Malha, who was born in Spain to Moroccan parents, said she alone took the decision to wear the headscarf to school last February "against the advice of her mother," Spanish media said.

It said the girl's classmates have supported her decision.

But regional authorities have backed the school, insisting that the regulations "must be enforced" while acknowledging that proposals to modify them were "being studied."

The issue is a relatively new one for Spain which has seen the number of immigrants living within its borders soar from around half a million in 1996 to 5.6 million last year, out of a total population of 46 million people.

The problem with making exceptions for certain kids is that you then have to make exceptions for everyone, and then where does that lead? I'm not quite sure why they have banned head coverings in the first place, they seem pretty innocuous to me, but the fact that they have, gives them the right to enforce those rules. Until they make changes, those are the rules.

What I find so amusing is that in Western countries where hijabs etc. are not commonplace, those who do wear them stand out like sore thumbs. I thought covering the head was for reasons of modesty, and that the pious Muslim woman did not want to be looked at, and yet the fact they are the only ones walking around with Islamic head gear makes them the immediate focus of attention. Perhaps that's actually what they want. To stand out, because they do, whether it's their intention or not.