Brussels: Teachers fired for wearing veil

Two Muslim teachers in Brussels have been fired for wearing a Muslim head covering.

According to Jacky Goris, the general manager of the school, the school had decided in April 2005 that teachers and students may not wear outstanding religious symbols. The two teachers began the school year in September 2005 by accepting that rule. But around the New Year’s they suddenly began to wear a notable veil, which is a violation of the contract.

He says that there was no problem with them wearing the veil during Islam class, just like priests do during religion classes, and that outside the class, they could wear a discrete shawl or cap.

He denies any racism, reminding that last year a teacher was fired for sending a racist email to students.

The Brussels Minister of Education , Guy Vanhengel, supports the rule that teachers may not wear outstanding religious symbols. The Flemish minister of Education, Frank Vandenbroucke, thinks that every school should decide for their own whether they allow wearing a veil.

The teachers have appealed the decision and a decision is expected by the end of the month.

Source: De Standaard (Dutch)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"The two teachers began the school year in September 2005 by accepting that rule. But around the New Year’s they suddenly began to wear a notable veil, which is a violation of the contract." Typical hudna methods and lying towards kafirs as the Qu'ran preeches is allowed.

We don't have a culture of lying and hudna's. So no problem about multi-etnicity by a big problem with multiculturality over here!

Anonymous said...

If you are part of a club you accept the rules. Don't come and accept and later refuse. This is typical hudna BS that we don't have to accept here. Has nothing to do with personnal issues nor interference of corporations.

Esther said...

Covering your head is a personal issue, of sorts. Wearing a Muslim veil, is a religious/political statement.

A Christian wearing a cross - he could wear a tiny cross hidden under the shirt or he could wear a big cross that makes a statement. A Muslim women that wants to cover her hair and shoulders could do so in various ways. A Muslim veil (and I have seen it called that on Muslim site) is a statement.

The principal had no problems with them coverig their head, he had a problem with the way they did it. though I do wonder what he meant by "outstanding".

In my opinion, a school should not prevent a teacher or student from following the dictates of their faith, as long as it takes into account the society around them (see the case of the Sikhs in the US who demand that their kids bring a knife to school).

However, a school can demand that teacher and students do not show an overt political or religious affiliation. In this case, the teachers did not say anything at the beginning of the year, but rather started wearing a veil a few months later.