PHILADELPHIA — The Phildelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called for the Marple-Newtown School District to allow a Sikh student compete in soccer while wearing his religiously mandated head covering, according to a press release.
On Tuesday, a referee barred the student from the field because he was wearing the head covering, citing a National Federation of High School Soccer rule.
School district officials are looking into the incident.
“All student athletes should be able to compete while maintaining their religious practices,” said CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Jacob Bender. “We urge the school district to implement a policy that protects the religious freedom of students of all faiths.”
CAIR recently collaborated with the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association to adopt a statewide policy change for public high schools after a Muslim teen was barred from competing because of her religious head covering, or hijab.
The council is working with the National Federation of High Schools Association to implement a similar policy change at public high schools on a national level.
