Sikhs Commend Settlement of Headscarf Case in OK

May 21, 2004

Source: Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force

http://www.sikhmediawatch.org/press/pressdetail.asp?pressid=70

On May 21, 2004 Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force welcomed the announcement this week that a Muslim girls’ right to wear a headscarf at an Oklahoma school was upheld. "On Wednesday, May 19, The Department of Justice (DOJ), which filed a lawsuit on behalf of the sixth-grade student in March, announced the settlement revising the student dress code policy to accommodate exceptions for bona fide religious reasons.

'The settlement is not only a victory for the student’s family but for all Americans who believe in the freedom of religion,' said SMART President Manjit Singh. 'Whenever constitutional rights of one religious community are violated, we feel it is the responsibility of all religious communities to take a stand. The DOJ, and especially Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Alex Acosta and his colleague Eric Treene, have demonstrated the department’s commitment to uphold fundamental American values for all religious communities.'"