Court Official Says Bailiff Wrong In Asking Witness To Remove Kippah

A Jackson County, Illinois court bailiff acted inappropriately last month when he asked Benjamin Sloan, an Orthodox Jew, appearing as a witness in a civil case, to remove his kippah (skullcap) in the courtroom. That is the conclusion of the court's Director of Operations Linda Austin, who said: "Any individuals with religious garb, be it a Muslim scarf or a skullcap, should never be asked to remove them before entering the courthouse or a courtroom." The Southern today reports that Sloan, saying he is only a little miffed, attributed the incident to cultural insensitivity on the part of courthouse security officers.