Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Thursday, June 16, 2016
In Nigeria, Christian Students React To Ruling On Hijabs In Schools
Christian students in middle schools and high schools in the Osun State in Nigeria are upset about a June 3 Osun State High Court ruling holding that Muslim women students at the schools have a right to wear the hijab. According to Tuesday's Premium Times, this is seen by Christian students as a breach of the understanding arrived at in 1975 when the state government took over schools originally founded by Christian missionaries. They see the court's decision as suggesting that wearing a hijab is a means of propagating Islam. So at the urging of the Christian Association of Nigeria, on Tuesday Christian students showed up at school wearing Christian robes and vestments. Meanwhile, the High Court ruling has been appealed and teachers are attempting to ignore the controversy and continue teaching their classes as usual.