September 9, 2008 - San Francisco, CA - PipeLineNews.org - Attorneys for Kimberlie Webb, 44, a Philadelphia Muslim police officer, appeared before the Third U.S. District Court of Appeals today, arguing that she should be allowed to wear a religious head covering while on duty.
Compared to the much shorter hijab, the khimar covers a woman's hair, forehead, sides of the head, neck, shoulders, and chest, sometimes extending as far down as the calf.
Since 2003 Webb has been a source of conflict in the police department, having been found guilty of insubordination and neglect of duty, because of her refusal to stop wearing the khimar. This led to her being suspended for 13 days by police commissioner Sylvester Johnson, also a Muslim. Webb has also been disciplined for failure to maintain a valid driver's license and for improperly handling evidentiary material. [source, Kimberlie Webb vs City of Philadelphia, http://www.paed.uscourts.gov/documents/opinions/07D0703P.pdf]
Webb;s Title VII federal lawsuit is alleging religious discrimination and retaliation. Her attorney, Jeffrey M. Pollock, told a packed court room that the case represented a "fundamental liberty right" and asked the judges whether wearing a scarf is, "such a violent religious symbol that we can't tolerate that?" He also attempted to make the case that according to police regulations it was legal to wear a scarf in cold weather prompting the judge to point out that Webb was appealing to wear her scarf even in "90 degrees." Read more ...
Compared to the much shorter hijab, the khimar covers a woman's hair, forehead, sides of the head, neck, shoulders, and chest, sometimes extending as far down as the calf.
Since 2003 Webb has been a source of conflict in the police department, having been found guilty of insubordination and neglect of duty, because of her refusal to stop wearing the khimar. This led to her being suspended for 13 days by police commissioner Sylvester Johnson, also a Muslim. Webb has also been disciplined for failure to maintain a valid driver's license and for improperly handling evidentiary material. [source, Kimberlie Webb vs City of Philadelphia, http://www.paed.uscourts.gov/documents/opinions/07D0703P.pdf]
Webb;s Title VII federal lawsuit is alleging religious discrimination and retaliation. Her attorney, Jeffrey M. Pollock, told a packed court room that the case represented a "fundamental liberty right" and asked the judges whether wearing a scarf is, "such a violent religious symbol that we can't tolerate that?" He also attempted to make the case that according to police regulations it was legal to wear a scarf in cold weather prompting the judge to point out that Webb was appealing to wear her scarf even in "90 degrees." Read more ...
Source: PipleLine News
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