The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on the U.S. Department of State to condemn the dismissal of a Muslim special education teacher in East Flanders, Belgium, who was fired after refusing to comply with a provincial ban on religious symbols in schools.
Amajoud, who taught at a provincial special education school in Assenede since 2022, was terminated after provincial officials launched disciplinary proceedings over her refusal to remove her hijab in the classroom. The dismissal follows a policy taking effect across East Flanders provincial schools that prohibits both staff and students from wearing items expressing political or religious convictions.
In a statement, Washington, D.C.-based said:
“We call on our State Department to condemn the dismissal of Hadija Amajoud and stand in solidarity with educators and students facing discrimination under unjust bans on religious attire. Removing a qualified teacher from her position simply for adhering to her religious beliefs is an infringement on fundamental human rights and religious freedom.
“Framing the exclusion of religious symbols as ‘neutrality’ forces religious individuals, and Muslim women in particular, out of the public sphere and public service. True neutrality creates an inclusive environment in which individuals of all faiths and backgrounds can participate equally without sacrificing their identity or principles. We urge Belgian authorities to reverse this discriminatory policy and uphold basic civil rights for all.”
CAIR has previously spoken out against discriminatory bans on the hijab across Europe, advocating for the rights of religious minorities to wear attire aligned with their faith without facing professional or academic retaliation.
Earlier this month, CAIR condemned Austria’s newly implemented ban on Islamic headscarves, or hijab, for students under 14 as a “fascist and bigoted” step backward for religious rights in Europe.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]