Muslim girl has right to wear scarf, AU tells Okla. school.

A Muslim student attending an Oklahoma public school has the right to wear a headscarf as dictated dic·tate
v. dic·tat·ed, dic·tat·ing, dic·tates

v.tr.
1. To say or read aloud to be recorded or written by another: dictate a letter.

2.
a. by her religious beliefs, Americans United has told school officials.

Officials with the Muskogee Public School District have twice suspended sus·pend
v. sus·pend·ed, sus·pend·ing, sus·pends

v.tr.
1. To bar for a period from a privilege, office, or position, usually as a punishment: suspend a student from school. Nashala Hearn, an 11-year-old student at the Benjamin Franklin Science Academy, for coming to school in a hijab, a head covering worn by some observant ob·ser·vant
adj.
1. Quick to perceive or apprehend; alert: an observant traveler. See Synonyms at careful.

2. Muslim females. School officials contend that the scarf violates a school policy that prohibits students from wearing hats, caps, bandannas or other headgear headgear,
n the apparatus encircling the head or neck and providing attachment for an intraoral appliance in use of extraoral anchorage.

headgear, radiologic,
n a device that is used to protect the head from injury by radiation. .

In a Dec. 10 letter to school officials, Americans United Legal Director Ayesha N. Khan khan

Historically, the ruler or monarch of a Mongol tribe. Early on a distinction was made between the title of khan and that of khakan, or “great khan.” Later the term khan was adopted by the Seljuq and Khwarezm-Shah dynasties as a title for the highest urged the school to reverse its policy. Khan noted that while public schools are not permitted to promote religion, individual students have the right to express their religious beliefs in a non-disruptive way.

"Hearn is simply complying with her religious faith by wearing a hijab; there is no risk that wearing a hijab would threaten anyone in any legally relevant way," wrote Khan.

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Title Annotation:	People & Events
Publication:	Church & State
Date:	Feb 1, 2004
Words:	163
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