Niqab-wearing woman pursues Quebec college

[Miriam1]

Niqab-wearing woman pursues Quebec college

 

 

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2010/03/02/quebec-woman-wears-niqab-in-class.html

 

 

The niqab is a style of headwear that covers the whole body, leaving only the eyes exposed. (CBC)

Quebec's Human Rights Commission is studying a complaint from a permanent resident expelled from a French college class last year after she refused to remove her niqab veil.

 

The Egyptian woman was enrolled in a language class for new immigrants at the CÉGEP St-Laurent in northwest Montreal when she was asked to remove the religious clothing.

 

She claims school officials violated her freedom of religion by requesting she not wear her modest dress, which covers the entire face and body and leaves only the eyes exposed.

 

The school says it tried to accommodate her on several occasions. Officials say she was not wearing her niqab veil when she applied for the program, nor when she met with school representatives for the first time prior to the 10-month course.

 

But when she showed up for class, she was wearing a niqab because of the presence of male students.

 

The school said the teacher allowed her to do her oral tests alone in a separate room, and present her assignments with her back turned to the class.

 

The teacher told her it was important when learning a new language to be able to see others' faces.

 

The woman's demands created tension in the class, school officials said.

 

"For the teacher it was more difficult to hear her, and it was more difficult for all the people to understand what she has to say," said the school’s director, Paul-Émile Bourque.

 

But one Montrealer who wears a niqab said she doesn’t understand how it could be a problem in the classroom.

 

"I went through four years of university in engineering and I graduated with distinction," said Afifa Naz. "It didn't affect my grades. I participated in projects with my group and really I had no problems."

 

But the government is sticking by its guns.

 

A spokesman for the province's immigration minister says the woman could have stayed in the French class had she agreed to remove her niqab for certain exercises.

 

The woman was registered for the course from February to November 2009.

 

 

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Thoughts ?

 

Personally I am conflicted - It is clear that the Quebec Ministry of Immigrations main bone of contention with this student is that simply she wears the Niqab.

 

Lakin, I find her other supposed demands while she was in the class difficult to understand - i.e the need to have male students sit behind her, conduct her oral exams (in a language class) outside ... not sure how much of this is true. But is she justified ?

 

Although it is not mentioned in this article, in a broadcast of the story on CBC news 99.1 radio, she's also had concerns about the female teacher being replaced by a male teacher.

 

erg. I support her right to wear the niqab - but...not so sure, about the rest.

[Sherban Shabeel]

I am not as bothered by the story, as by some of the comments on the cbc website.

 

On a lighter note, LOL@ Cegep St-Laurent. One of my best mates goes there.

[GaroweGal]

She should be allowed to wear her niqaab regardless of when she choose to put it on.

 

However. the other 'demands' as you say seem far-fetched. If she does not like it then should stay the heck home. Truth is she don't live in a Muslim country and shouldn't expect that much segregation, no? :confused:

[ailamos]

One has to admit that countries like the US and Canada do accommodate immigrants, halal shops, halal food, the right to build mosques... etc etc. But some immigrants don't realize that they have to take a middle ground in their host country, they're not in their home country. When one is in a language class as in any other class it is important to interact with the fellow students, perhaps she should have applied to an all-girls institution?

 

Egypt is so close to Saudi, why didn't she immigrate there?

[Khayr]

Egypt is so close to Saudi, why didn't she immigrate there?

Forget that, she is even closer to NYC now. Maybe she should immigrate there?

 

 

It is true, that some muslims don't know the limitations and have been infested by modern ideas of 'equality' and 'freedoms'. These are farces and facades that distort the muslim thinking.

[ailamos]

Originally posted by Khayr:

Forget that, she is even closer to NYC now. Maybe she should immigrate there?

Why not? I would give her a personal tour

[Muriidi]

would you throw this out of your collection ...

 

 

punks...women in niqab...miles davis...they don't need us...we need them, even if i don't like all of miles davis' stuff..like this one...

 

 

we sent our own reporter to that college and the teacher was caught off guard saying : " ..yes but 'ow can we keep les eleves ignorant if we 'ave these islamiques ??? everybody knows les muslims are not susceptible to 'ypnosis! "

 

...unlike cbc news.., this reporter and Sol take full responsibility

[Polanyi]

Originally posted by muriidi:

 

...unlike cbc news.., this reporter and Sol take full responsibility

good one, sufi g.