Muslim Girl Benched for Wearing Hijab in Basketball Game
- Posted on January 20, 2011 at 6:24am by
Meredith Jessup
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A 12-year-old Muslim girl in Maryland was reportedly forced to sit on the bench and watch her teammates play after a referee ruled Maheen Haq’s headscarf posed a safety risk on the court.
According to local news reports, the referee warned that the headscarf could pose a potential choking hazard, even though the Smithsburg middle schooler had warn the hijab during the first five games of the season.
The girl’s coach, Mark Kershner, says he was forced to bench the player. “You could see that she was emotionally affected. Without embarrassing her, I could see it in her eyes,” he said.
The student was allowed to play during the game’s second half, but only after her parents agreed to a liability release.
Although the issue did not involve the young girl’s religion, Dr. Syed Hague, president of the Frederick County Muslim Council, said the referees should have been more sensitive. “They should have asked what it is, how it’s worn, how it’s done,” he said. “That would have helped a lot.”
Regulations regarding attire in athletics are common and also prohibit items like jewelry or long laces which could pose a potential safety hazard for players. Dr. Hague argues that the hijab poses no safety risk.
In the meantime, Coach Kershner says there’s been no harm, no foul.
“She’s a go-getter. She’ll be right back on the court tomorrow night,” he said.
Daphnie Campbell, the sports league’s coordinator, suggested Haq‘s parents provide a letter stating that the hijab is part of their daughter’s religion and that they accept liability for injuries to avoid future conflicts.



















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Comments (187)
confused
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:49amWe had a Muslim school in our area Bridgeview, Il, that wanted to play other (non-Muslim) schools in the district. Muslim grab requires females to be totally covered except (??) hands and face. So in order for them to play other schools and be able to wear JUST the team uniform, NO men were allowed to be in the gym. That meant no males: janitors, coaches, referees, fathers, brothers, uncles, grandfathers, boyfriends.
Report Post »I understand the school’s basketball team put out a request to schools to see if they would abide by these requirements. I really don’t know what happened. I just thought that was a lot of nerve especially if I were a Dad and couldn’t watch my daughter play!!!
Thighmaster
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:38am…so it‘s ok for muslims to display religious items but Christians can’t? wake up America before it’s too late
Report Post »AFeatherAdrift
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 2:11pmI dunno. Is it not permitted to wear a cross? Or a yalmelka? Or is this all about the usual anti-other than Christian rhetoric?
Report Post »Malcom0983
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:35amIt appears that the ref had a reasonable safety concern. I’m sure he will be accused of being an “islamiphobic” Glenn Beck fan, Tea Partier. Even though, the hijab isn’t a part of any basketball uniform that I have ever seen.
Report Post »If she is devout enough to wear a hijab, how is she allowed to play basketball along side of infidels?
mikem1969
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 9:51amTell me about it.
Report Post »Cabo King
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:32amsimple, take it off or get out, its not part of basketball uniform…better yet get out of this country, and go pay for Habib….W>T>F>
Report Post »red penny
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:27amTake the damn towel off your head and play an American sport.This is rid-i-culious.Enough of the “PC” crap already!!!!!!!
Report Post »1959
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 3:21pmExactly! This is civilization jihad ….C’mon people how do you think it happened in England,Germany and France, overnight by force? Shariah: The Threat To America: An Exercise In Competitive Analysis (Report of Team B II) available on Amazon. It is a must read for every American
Report Post »Beachcomber556
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:23am….had warn the hijab…..??
Report Post »Ms. Jessup, the word is “worn” not warn.
Please hire a competent copy editor.
Annebelle
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:09amThe schools have taken our God out of school. The kids suffer from not being able to observe their christian views. I believe that this girl should not be able to represent her religious views. If she can wear her scarf because of her faith, then my child should be able to wear her christian tee shirts. A double standard.
Report Post »Carl1
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:28amYou said it. Would love to see the other girls come out anything on with a Cross on it.
Report Post »Christian Americans has less and less rights every day.
Davidsabre
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:05amWhat atheletes wear while competing is called a uniform for a reason.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:56amAttention all immigrants, both legal and illegal~~~~and, esp. muslimes ~~~ this IS AMERICA. You want to wear your freaky clothes, wear them at home, your home, back in your “mother country”.In AMERICA, we don’t dress like that. Women and men here are free. Helllooooo! You follow OUR RULES. We don’t change our rules to make you feel “at home”. If want to live here, you do it OUR way, or simply go home and do it your way. Please. Now. Yesterday. Hooray for the coach who had enough guts to act on this. School district, you’d better back up your coach on this!
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:45amI can’t see why people want to try out for something then want to have special privileges made for them. If they aren’t handicapped there should be no special treatment for anyone. Next thing you will hear is she wants to wear a backpack in the game.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:58am@ HEAVYDUTY ~~~ A backpack filled with explosives. Gee, we don’t want to hurt their feelings, do we? HELLLLLOOOOOO, reality check! This IS AMERICA!!! In spite of the muslime occupying the WH. PRAY AMERICA, PRAY. COURAGE, folks. Stand tall. Stand in fear of our GOD, not of men “for what can man do to us”? Well, don’t go there….the list is too long, but you get the point, right?
Report Post »nostromo
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:42amOf course if come kid grabbed her by the hijab as she ran past there would be a lawsuit pending. Just check out the story about the mall texter who fell into a fountain while texting. Nothing is too ridiculous to sue over anymore.
Report Post »Sicialian Eyeball
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:32amPractice you religion-no problem. Play basketball-wear the uniform. Go back to sandland and see how much basketball you get to play.These people make me sick with their BS.
Report Post »benrumsley
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:31amYawn, next will be nudists demanding they play b-ball stark naked.
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:43amand the problem is …..?
Report Post »Tickdog
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:28amlol!
Report Post »scout n ambush
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:21amYet schools have made christian kids take crosses of in class or kids take their t shirt off or turn it inside out for having a american flag on it i hate it that the kid was not allowed to play for a little while but it ain‘t worth the lawsuit they will be filing very soon it’s not like the held her down and force fed her bacon .Now i am going to try going the rest of the day without being offensive .
Report Post »awizard
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 7:19amscout n ambush, I’ll say it again “It’s a safety issue” ‘has nothing to do with the girls religion!.. We used school gyms, the school had insurance and RULES!.. You can’t sign a waiver, and be done with it … I like the other comments “If you can’t follow the rules, you can’t play the game”.
Report Post »SND97
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:14amLouis Armstrong song “Oh, What A Wonderful World”
Insanity: The Human Race in this century. Ah, ya, ya, ya ya
Report Post »wipinitboss
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:05amMy bride wore a head scarf (if you would like to call it that) while in the Army, she didn’t wear a loud one, in fact she had camouflage ones. When an idiot would bother her, she told them of her faith and that was the end of the conversation.
Wearing a Yarmulke or similarly held appurtenance is a statement of one’s faith and conviction. Remember the “dress” that the Olympic runner wore because her Baptist faith from childhood stayed with her?
The ref interjecting himself is the problem here.
BlazingInSC
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 9:52amThe ref “injected himself”, not because of religion, but because of safety standards in the dress code. The ref was absolutely correct in his call. Also, Jews do not wear yamulkes when they play sports. They are very respectful of the activities in which they play – to the point where if a game is scheduled during hours they can’t play, they don’t play — or the teams try to work out the schedules accordingly. The parents signing a liability waiver is fine, but every parent of every child needs to agree to do the same because if this Hijab every came off in the field of play and another child slipped on it and fell – then what? There is no room for PC stupidity for the sake of onee minority religion in a country where we are quick to condemn the majority religion under the false guise of “separation of church and state”.
Report Post »wipinitboss
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:04pmApparently you didn’t view the story, the headscarf worn by the Muslim girl and demonstrated by the ladies has virtually no chance of coming off during play.
As for us Jews, who during combat and sports and any other activity, as soldiers, we can wear appurtenances during virtually any event. Also, I have known Muslims, Sieks, and a few Christian sects, in the military, who are not being PC, but being themselves and true to their respective faiths. The key word being respect.
If there were a true concern, the games the child was allowed to play before this “safety concern” must have had incompetent refs.
Report Post »OpenCarry
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:04amWhile we find it umacceptable to wear the hijab these girls see others threatened with death for not wearing the traditional garb — tough position for these girls.
Report Post »tsc1960
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 6:55amI’ve been watching “LIttle Mosque on the Prairie” as posted on this site. Let her wear it. As a nation we need to get over things like this. I lived in an area where there were young women that had to wear “shorts” to play due to their religious convictions. People should be able to stay true to their religious convictions and play sports.
PointBreak
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:04amYou’re either completely ignorant of the truth or a co-conspirator – either way people like you are the reason America is in the toilet. Islam is a deadly virus that destroys every country it infects. ‘Little Mosque on the Prairie’ is propaganda on par with the best of Goebbels. Go read the Koran THEN tell me if you think that show is cute.
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:06am@ tsc1960
Report Post »So all your knowledge about islam is derived from a Canadian sitcom ? Which you discovered very recently on youtube ?
Learn arabic and read the koran. It might be helpful
NICE NICE TACO
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 9:37amI’m not sure where wearing shorts is a problem when participating in a sport but I can see where it would be a problem for all players if this head dress were allowed. It really is a safety issue when playing contact type sports. I think the referee was correct in his call.
Report Post »therockczar
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 9:39amYou freak!! Kids can’t wear baseball caps or hats in schools because of the gang related violence it represents. What about the violence Islam represents yet these neanderthals are allowed to wear their garb for “religious purposes”. You are quick to quote “separation of church and state”–then separate your head from that hidjab and join the rest of us–‘cuz we can’t wear crosses around our necks when we play B-ball or any sport to that fact.
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 9:25pmwhy?
then let them form their own teams and have their own rules. I promise, no American girl is going to join and NOT wear a hijab just to cause trouble.
But that’s ok, cause when the Hu and the Chinese come to take over, there will be no hijabs.
Report Post »tsc1960
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 12:44pmSorry, in the last post, I meant SKorts not shorts…
Report Post »But really in sports we are given the opportunity to teach our children how to problem solve as adults. We teach them how to choose their battles and to think out of the box. This situation gave the adults a chance to demonstrate this type of thinking and in the end, they did that.
NickDeringer
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 6:54amHey! Let her play and make the other team ware burkas.
Report Post »awizard
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 6:49amI coached Elementary basketball and soccer for 10 years … no jewelry, glasses had to have straps, no hats, proper footwear … for safety reasons … EVERYONE’S safety … If any of that stuff falls off you could hurt another player.
If you want to play a team sport, you need to be a member of the team, or start your own league.
Report Post »freckled55
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:49amMy daughter played soccer for many years. We had to time what month we could get her ears pierced because you COULD NOT WEAR ANY JEWELRY for her and the others safety. If you can’t abide by the uniform, don’t join the team.
Report Post »Sledgehammer
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 6:46amI don’t blame them, (the refs) We sue on the drop of a dime! And yes a girl was injured when another girl grabbed on to her hajib.
Report Post »mrlogan3
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 9:36amSo should they all cut their hair because hair can be grabbed? I honestly don‘t see why the hijab can’t be warned.
Report Post »TheGilTeaParty
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 6:43amThis seems a bit like a non-story to me.. The Ref found there to be a safety risk, the Parents waived the liability, and she was back on the court in the second half. When this is a news story, our race relations have a long way to go.
Report Post »awizard
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 6:59amSon you are clearly not involved with sports, the red flag is they let her get away with it BECAUSE of religion … The parents signed a waiver?.. for what?.. no liability for the other players?.. I’d of not let my kids play in that game … (And it is not race, it’s safety … for everyone involved)
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:41amWait till this girl and others like her start forcing other kids to stop eating their ham-n-cheese abd BLT sammiches , because it offends them.
Report Post »This is how it starts , that is how islam imposes itself on others, by forcing their “ religion” and appealing to the “ tolerance” of those they want to basically eliminate.
Wiz001
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:01amI agree with AWizard this issue. There are dress codes for all sports and part of playing fair is to abide by the rules. Now she wants to were a headscarf, what will be next? So she gets SPECIAL treatment rather than her parent saying that she can’t participate because of her religion> THat would be the proper response if she is not able to play fair.. Little by Little Europe became over run by Sheria it did not happen over night. They are insidious about it.. Need to stop it NOW!!
Report Post »TERMLIMITSNOW
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:24amB.L.T.’s for everyone!!!
Report Post »Lucy Larue
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:26amGILTEA,
It is NOT a non-story!
Report Post »It is the creeping jihad. Get your learn on!
cheezwhiz
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:50amTERMLIMITSNOW
B.L.T.’s for everyone!!!
—————
while we still can
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xwexD4olko&feature=related
Report Post »moriseiki2002
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 6:34amIf she was a gypsie would she wear a nose ring
Report Post »happyboy
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:37amI hate nose rings. At checkout lines if the checker has a nose ring, I begin to heave. Once I almost ballistic vomited in line when a I saw the nose ring. Nose ring people should be made to cover up their nose when wearing these rings, its so unsanitary and disgusting. I wish these nose ring wearers could be put in FEMA camps.
I am just trying to be civil.
Report Post »RobertCA
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 6:28amI would leave it for the coach if it’s really a safety risk + won’t she be hot with that thing on ?
Report Post »MAULEMALL
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 6:48amOh well ….
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 6:58amI think I remember seeing an episode of the flying nun where she took off and flew to make the winning basket…This could be an unfair advantage kinda deal…I see lawsuits coming when she takes it off and trips someone so she can score…
Stupid story for the religion of peace….pfffffffffffffffffttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt!
Report Post »ishka4me
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:08amLast week while doing some banking, coming out from the frigid cold i had my hat on.Entering the bank there was security there to make sure my hat was off. Signs everywhere that ball hats, winter hats, hats for woman are no longer allowed in bank. Except for muslims, jews and seiks.
RobertCA
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:11amit’s a hijab day @ The Blaze today :(
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:33amHijab is islamic.
Basketball is a kafir activity.
Nowhere in the koran does it tell its followers , specially girls, to play ANY sport.
Basketball is unislamic.
This girl has no business trying to islamize a kafir sport.
Jackers
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:34amWhatever happened to assimilation? Seems to me that our Western host countries are always having to bend over backwards to please its immigrants… Used to be a time when immigrants would be more than happy to blend into their new host countries’ values and traditions…
Report Post »Anarcho Capitalist
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:41amThey look stupid and it may be a risk but its not right for them to bench her.
Report Post »Flashover
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:54amWhy isn‘t this girls uncle being investigated for this threat and why aren’t his gun rights in question. Why hasn’t the girl been taken away from parents that would allow an uncle to make such threats without notifiying the police and having him arrested.
Report Post »I am done with this duplicity.
grandmaof5
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:28amIt sounds as if the young girl is attending an American school, not a Muslim school, so there ought to be a few things that can be overlooked. We should be happy she has joined her classmates playing sports and that she now has the freedom to do so.
Report Post »happyboy
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:30amMIDDLE EAST NATIONS ALL HAVE DRESS CODES.
If a women in say Iran refuses to dress properly, she will be beaten to a pulp and her parents will throw all her stuff into the street. We have basketball dress codes too and that is to play you must wear the UNIFORM. WHAT PART OF UNIFORM DON’t THESE PORK HATERS UNDERSTAND?
Report Post »AzDebi
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:45am@Jackers: YOU have hit the ol’ nail on the head my friend! P R E C I S E L Y the “Common Sense”, “American” solution…PC is ruining this country…Where are these children going to learn their allegiance to this country? And, can’t think of which Founding Father said it, probably Thomas Jefferson, but, This country cannot remain a Republic without Judeo/Christian values.
Report Post »Jackers
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 9:17am@ AzDebi..
Thanks! Common sense has been totally replaced by our open-border Global Elites with what they call, Political Correction; and this PC cancer is truly destroying our country. I think if immigrants wish to live here in America, they should at least show some efforts at assimilation and respect for our values and traditions…
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 9:37amTime for Muslims to decide are they AMERICAN’S or not.. IF they are while they can keep their religion..However, they must ADHERE to the rules we have had in place for generations.. IF they don’t like it.. they have a country for that.. fact is they have a FEW countries for that.. take up residency in one.. I know that’s not PC of me however.. I don’t care.. and was never known for being PC
Report Post »mikem1969
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 9:50amIt is not part of the uniform, and in order to play you must be in uniform. Get over it.
Report Post »KICKILLEGALSOUT
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 9:57amHere we go again! I bet the girl doesn’t even want to play basketball but was planted by some Muslim organization in order to stir things up to falsely show Americans as intolerant so they can continue their quest to implement Sharia law in our communities! So let me get this straight he MUST wear her head rag but she obviously is wearing shorts to play basketball like everyone does. I’m sorry but anyone that is that religious is not going to be wearing shorts also. This is obvious Muslim propaganda, notice how the director of the Muslim organization said “They should have asked about it” now this will lead to them volunteering some Muslim awareness class for the school over the “so called“ incident.
Once again the Muslims forcing their religion upon everyone!
Report Post »Rogue
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 10:41amNext step: We can’t have girls singled out unfairly like this – the hijab will soon be a part of the uniform for all players, Muslim or not. Don’t worry, parents, no extra cost – the school district will provide them. Oh, and we can’t have girls on the team running around the hallways with these one, when others do not have them – again, segregating the girls from others… hijabs for every girl in school.
Report Post »Xcori8r
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 10:48amI’m just waiting for the burkas in the Womens NBA..
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 11:20amKeep pushing the American standards until they become Muslim ones.
Report Post »rgranger
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 11:39amUntil someone grabs hold of it or it gets tangled and injures her…Then it will be everyone else’s problem.
Report Post »neversaynever
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 12:40pmAs a high school football coach I understand why these rules are in place. It’s simply for her safety, not because they are anti-islam or anti-muslim. Someone reaching in to try and block her shot could get their finger caught in it and break that finger (that is the reason that necklaces and jewelry are not allowed). Or she herself could be choked by someone pulling on it. If I were on the other team, even at the age of 12, I would have singled out someone trying to be different with something like that and attacked them in every way possible. She’s setting herself up to be mocked. Trash talk is a part of any game, and as someone who played proffessionally for 4 years I can say that I know I would come at any person singling themselves out like that with the most hateful, vile things you can imagine to try and throw that person off their game. Make them think about me and not the game. It is legal to do on a field or court and believe me, when you step out there nothing is off limits. The goal is to win, and you do what you need to do to win. She, her parents, and her coach are doing her a complete disservice by allowing her to even try to wear that. She will and should be mocked and teased while on the court for that ridiclous thing.
Report Post »bullcrapbuster
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 1:21pmI am anti Islam. The teachings of that religion frighten me and my family.
Report Post »Wayner
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 1:45pmIs it not against the koran for her to be wearing shorts and showing some leg??
Report Post »AngryMobOfOne
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 2:09pmMy headline -> “Infighting Breaks Out in Democrat Ranks, Pitting Trial Lawyer Faction Against Moslem Faction”…
Report Post »bookofwisdom
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 2:56pmSorry to disagree. She is making a “religious” statement and should not be allow to play with it on. Remember the young man who made the touchdown and then pointed to the sky in thanks to God, well, she is definitely making a statement “I am Muslim” when she wears her hijab on the court. You don’t see Christians wearing crosses, so I don’t think she should be allow to be “different” from everyone else. May God Bless.
Report Post »thetruthhurtz
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 3:13pmWho cares how hot she gets, “Poor Thing” I’d bet if she was wearing a neckless with a cross she would have to have taken it off, “Might Offend Somebody?” PLEASE!!! What in the heck is happening to our country?
Report Post »Kalish
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 3:19pmAccording to Islamic scholarship, hijab is given the wider meaning of modesty, privacy, and morality
Mean while the men are out doing all kinds of women and I guess that is ok ?
Report Post »avenger
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 4:56pmtime to wake up America…they join or get the hell out.
Report Post »stephenb.net
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:15pmStupid! Safety risk? Did he think it was going to jump off her head and strangle someone?
Report Post »GONESURFING
Posted on January 20, 2011 at 11:40pmDon’t be too hard on her, she is probably worried that her brother, father, or uncle will kill her if she doesn’t wear the hijab. Islam really sucks.
Report Post »