Kerala hijab row: Church-run school to move high court against DDE report
School rejects DDE’s report which accuses authorities of having denied student to sit in classes because she wore a hijab; says she skipped school for two days because she was unwell
The hijab row in a Catholic church-run school in Kerala's Ernakulam district has taken a new turn as the school management is likely to move the high court to challenge the Deputy Director of Education’s (DDE) report alleging lapses by the institute.
A controversy broke out earlier this month after the authorities of the school in Palluruthy objected to the wearing of hijab (a religious headscarf) by a Muslim girl student on school premises, citing the dress code.
School rubbishes DDE report
Alleging lapses by the school management, the DDE report said that authorities had forced the student out of the campus for wearing a hijab, violating her right to education. The school, however, has denied the allegations and said that the girl was never shunted out or denied classes and didn’t attend school for two days due to illness.
Joshi Kaithavalappil, president of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of the school, told PTI that the DDE’s report was submitted without a proper inquiry. “We have decided to approach the Kerala High Court against it. It was prepared without hearing from the school management or the PTA properly or assessing the situation. Our lawyer will soon file a petition challenging its findings,” he said.
Also Read: Kerala school challenges govt order in hijab row; minister softens stance
Student unwell, parents worried
Joshi said the student, who is in the eighth grade, did not attend her classes on Wednesday and Thursday as she was unwell.
“We learnt that she is unwell. The mid-term examinations are currently on,” Joshi said.
The student's father told PTI that his daughter was unwell and tense after the incident. “She has a fever and is very disturbed. We will ask her whether she wants to continue at the same school. Only if she agrees, we will send her back,” he said.
He added that the family was under severe stress. “We are ordinary people. It was a small issue that snowballed into a major controversy. We hope it is settled now,” he said.
Also Read: Kerala hijab row takes U-turn; govt directs school to allow student in headscarf
'No demand made by school'
The PTA also denied reports that it demanded a written statement from the parents that the child would attend school without wearing a hijab.
“We have not communicated any such decision to the parents. While some parents raised the issue, no final decision was taken,” Joshi clarified.
The student's parent also said that the school did not communicate any undertaking. “No such demand was made to us until now,” he said.
Minister criticises school’s 'immature' remarks
Meanwhile, Kerala Education Minister, V Sivankutty stated that there is a deliberate move to shift the issue from its actual context and turn it into a political controversy. Anyone who listens to the press conferences held by the school authorities and their lawyer can easily see that their primary aim was not to resolve the problem but to attack the government, he said.
Without any room for doubt, the government will not, under any circumstances, allow anyone to create political or communal divisions in Kerala’s educational environment. Our schools are spaces of peace and learning. They will not be allowed to become platforms for partisan politics or ideological agendas, the minister further said.
Reiterating that every educational institution in the state is bound to function in accordance with the laws of the land, Sivankutty urged that the principles of the Indian Constitution, the judgments of the Supreme Court and High Court, the Right to Education Act, and the Kerala Education Rules must all be respected and followed.
If any institution acts in violation of these, the Department of General Education has full authority to intervene, and it will exercise that authority to protect public interest, he noted.
The immature remarks made by the school authorities and their legal representative will only serve to worsen the situation. Such behavior is unbecoming of an educational institution. The government’s only concern is that the school functions in a calm and peaceful manner and that the learning environment for students remains secure, the education minister remarked.
(With inputs from agencies)