Court Says There Was No Discrimination Against Muslim School Employee

Mohammed v. Wisconsin Insurance Security Fund, (WI App., Aug. 27, 2009), is a religious discrimination lawsuit filed by a Muslim man who was employed as a hall monitor by the Racine (WI) school system. The suit was originally filed in federal district court, but ended up being litigated before the Wisconsin Insurance Security Fund after the school district's insurance company became insolvent and a court barred actions against the company's insureds. Plaintiff claimed that the school Principal's directive to him to stop wearing his kufi and pilgrimage ring to work amounted to discrimination on the basis of religion and race. (School rules prohibit students from wearing these items.) The court upheld findings by WISF that the Principal's order was never enforced, and that a suspension and reassignment were not the result of discrimination. Yesterday's Chicago Tribune reported on the case.