A MUSLIM FAMILY IS CONSIDERING A LAWSUIT AGAINST CITADEL, A
MILITARY ACADEMY, OVER THE FACT THAT THERE
DAUGHTER WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND A WEAR A HEADSCARF
WHILE ATTENDING THE SCHOOL.
THE STUDENT HAS DECIDED SHE WILL NOT ATTEND THE SCHOOL IF
SHE IS NOT ALLOWED TO WEAR THE HEADSCARF.
ADMINISTRATORS ARE SAYING THEY HAVE A STRICT UNIFORM
POLICY AND IT APPLIES TO EVERYONE, NOT JUST MUSLIMS.
>> THAT IS EXACTLY WHY I WOULD
NEVER JOIN THE MILITARY OR
GO TO THE CITADEL.
I NEED YOU TO ALL LOOK AND ACT EXACTLY ALIKE.
WHO FINDS THAT INTERESTING?
>>HISTORICALLY THAT IS WHAT MILITARY HAS BEEN ALL ABOUT.
>> THE MILITARY NEEDS THAT SO THEY CAN FEED YOU INTO THE
WAR MACHINE.
WHEN BOB DIES, WELL, IF BOB LOOKED JUST LIKE STEVE THEN
WE ARE ALL MOVING ON.
MAINLY THEY NEED TO BREAK YOUR SPIRIT SO YOU FOLLOW ORDERS.
THAT IS WHY I DON'T HAVE MUCH OF AN INTEREST IN IT.
BUT HERE IS A MUSLIM WOMAN WHO WANTS TO SERVE HER COUNTRY
AND BE PART OF THE PROCESS, OKAY, INTERESTING.
>> THE SCHOOL IS SAYING THAT BECAUSE OF THE STRICT
UNIFORM POLICY SHE IS NOT ALLOWED TO WEAR THIS.
BUT NOW HER FAMILY WANTS TO SUE, OR ARE CONSIDERING SUING.
>>WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THIS?
>> I FEEL LIKE I AM BEING INSENSITIVE, BUT I WOULD
SAY THAT SHE NEEDS TO GET OVER THE HEADSCARF THING.
IF THERE WERE INSTANCES OF THEM MAKING EXCEPTIONS FOR OTHER
RELIGIONS THAN I WOULD SAY WHAT THE HELL, THAT GUY IS
WEARING A YARMULKE.
BUT THEY DON'T HAVE EXCEPTIONS FOR ANYONE WHEN IT COMES TO
THE UNIFORMS.
>> I WOULD DEFINITELY USE THE YARMULKE RULE.
I AM SPLIT.
ON THE ONE HAND, RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IS THE CORNERSTONE
OF AMERICA.
IT IS SUPER IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO
EXERCISE THE RELIGION THEY WANT.
ON THE OTHER HAND, A UNIFORM IS A UNIFORM.
ON THE TRIPLE HAND, THE US MILITARY HAS ALREADY GOTTEN
PAST THIS.
>> THAT IS WHAT MAKES ME TORN.
THE SCHOOL IS SEPARATE FROM THE MILITARY.
>> THE MILITARY LETS YOU SERVE IN A HIJAB.
THEY LET YOU WEAR CERTAIN RELIGIOUS PIECES OF CLOTHING.
ON THE FOURTH HAND, THE CITADEL IS NOT DISCRIMINATING
AGAINST HER BECAUSE SHE IS MUSLIM.
THEY HAVE OTHER MUSLIM CADETS AND THEY HAVE NEVER HAD AN
ISSUE.
THIS IS THE FIRST ONE THAT WANTED TO WEAR A HIJAB.
IF THEY ALLOW A YARMULKE, THEN THEY SHOULD ALLOW A HIJAB.
>>THEY ARE SO STRICT WITH THEIR POLICY I COULD NOT BELIEVE THIS.
CITADEL CADETS ARE REQUIRED TO WEAR UNIFORMS ALL THE TIME.
THE SCHOOL HAS A 35 PAGE BOOKLET OF RULES AND REGULATIONS.
>> ANOTHER REASON WHY I WOULDN'T WANT TO GO.
THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO THIS PERSON ñ
>>I CAN'T STAND DRESS CODES OR ANYONE TELLING ME WHAT TO DO.
I FEEL YOU.
BUT WITH THAT SAID, WHEN YOU JOIN THE MILITARY OR GO TO
A CERTAIN SCHOOL THERE ARE RULES YOU HAVE TO ABIDE BY.
I AM CURIOUS TO SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT IF SHE DECIDES TO SUE.
I DO NOT THINK THIS IS A CASE OF DISCRIMINATION AT ALL.
IT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE DISCRIMINATION BASED ON THE
FACTS.
BUT SHE COULD CHALLENGE HER CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO
PRACTICE HER RELIGION.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT THE SCHOOL, BUT I
WANT TO SEE HOW IT PLAYS OUT.
>> MY RULE IF I AM THE JUDGE IS
TO SEE IF THEY APPLIED THIS
UNIFORMLY.
WITH JEWISH AMERICANS WHO WERE GOING AND HAVE YARMULKES,
IF IT IS UNIFORM IT IS UNIFORM.
THEN THAT SHOULD APPLY TO HER JUST LIKE IT APPLIES TO
EVERYONE ELSE.
ON THE OTHER HAND I WOULD URGE THE CITADEL TO GET PAST IT.
THE MILITARY IS OKAY WITH PEOPLE WEARING YARMULKES.
THE CITADEL
SHOULD ADJUST TO THE SAME RULES.
GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE MILITARY,
GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE CITADEL IF YOU ASK ME.