Hijab Controversy: Father Announces Daughter’s Admission to New School in Facebook Post
Kochi: The father of the girl at the center of the hijab controversy at St. Reetha’s School in Palluruthy, Kochi, has announced her admission to a new educational institution through a Facebook post. He stated that his daughter has been enrolled in a college where he is confident that no other child will be intimidated by the three-quarter meter cloth on her head.
The father used the Facebook platform to extend his gratitude to all individuals who stood by him during this challenging period, emphasizing that he is an ordinary person without the backing of large crowds or organized forces.
The decision by the girl’s parents to obtain a Transfer Certificate (TC) from St. Reetha’s School was made in the wake of the ongoing hijab controversies. The student has now joined Don Public School in Palluruthy to continue her eighth-grade studies.
The dispute originally arose when the eighth-grade student attended St. Reetha’s Public School wearing a hijab alongside her uniform, a practice that the school management opposed. The management maintained that wearing a hijab was not permissible within the school’s uniform policy.
The Kerala High Court had previously resolved a petition concerning the hijab issue after the student’s father indicated that he no longer wished for his daughter to continue studying at St. Reetha’s School, and the state government confirmed it would cease further intervention. During the court proceedings, the education department argued that the incident constituted a violation of fundamental constitutional rights and that the child’s basic rights had been denied. Conversely, the school asserted that its stance on disallowing the hijab was part of its policy to ensure all students are treated equally.
In his Facebook post, the father further wrote:
“Dear ones,
Children to a new school today…
Upholding their dignity,
To an institution where no child accompanying her will be afraid seeing the three-quarter meter cloth on her head…
At a time of crisis, my heartfelt thanks to all those who stood by me, an ordinary person without the backing of crowds or organized forces, with a prayerful heart.
Thank you…
May our children continue their journey into a new world order with colors of diversity…”