The Citadel considers first uniform exception for hijab
The Citadel is considering the first exception to its strict uniform requirement – allowing a Muslim student to wear her hijab.
The public military university has not granted any uniform accommodations during its 175-year history, the Washington Post reported. Students must wear the cadet’s uniform at all times, even when off-campus.
Some students and alumni responded to this news on social media, arguing for and against granting the exception. As a military institution, loyalty is valued above individual preferences at the Citadel. Nick Pinelli, a cadet at the Citadel and intern for the Trump campaign, wrote about the request on Facebook.
“It’s unfair to the school having to change rules and adjust to the individual, when the individual could’ve gone to USC without incident. Your expression of self shouldn’t place a burden of cost on others,” he wrote.
Pinelli also wrote that another student called him a bigot for his post. In response, he wrote that he was not bothered by the admitted student’s religion but her “sense of entitlement” in asking for an accommodation.
The university has several Muslim students currently enrolled.
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