Students of a Chicago based high school in joined their Muslim peers in wearing the hijab as part of an event.
The Muslim Students Association (MSA) of Vernon Hills High School in Chicago hosted an event “Walk a Mile in Her Hijab” aiming to provide a better understanding of the Muslim faith. The event gave students of other religions an opportunity to wear the hijab in tan attempt to challenge stereotyping of Muslims.
Six members of the school’s MSA devoted an entire morning placing hijabs on 17 non-Muslim girls as they conversed about the beliefs of Muslims. Teachers and students at the school were encouraged to ask questions about the hijab if they came across a student wearing one.
“I wanted to learn more about the religion, considering my uncle is also Muslim,” Charli Mosley a junior at the school said while wearing a red hijab. “With more people wearing a hijab around school, it could bring more acceptance to the religion and have more people become more aware.”
Yasmeen Abdallah, president of the school’s MSA said, “You can’t really understand or judge a person and their beliefs until you understand why they do it and what it’s like for them to do what they’re doing.”
“This event is to hopefully denounce negative stereotypes.”
Abdallah said the event was a good experience, and hopes that it will become an annual event. Many of the girls got helpful feedback from other students and benefited from the experience, she said, except one unidentified male student who told a non-Muslim girl to remove the hijab as he passed her in the hall.
While expressing his admiration for Muslim students at the school, the school headmaster said the event is an opportunity for the kids to embrace the Muslim community at the school.
“I think it is a difficult time to be a Muslim student in our high school, in our community, and in America,” he said.
“I think this is an opportunity for our kids to embrace the Muslim community within the school. For other kids outside of this organization, to understanding what it’s like for these girls to walk through our halls in this garment in a way that stands out from other kids. So, I’m proud of them,” he added.
