Muslim parents in Philadelphia worry schools aren't making accommodations for Ramadan

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- As Muslims mark the holy month of Ramadan, several schools and workplaces have made accommodations for those who are participating in religious practices.

But some Philadelphia parents say their children's schools are making it difficult to openly practice their Muslim faith.

The holy month of Ramadan brought excitement for Letitia William's 12-year-old daughter, who had wanted to openly practice her faith for the first time.

"It was like a big day for her, a big moment," said Williams. "She had prepared the night before like, 'How do I wrap my scarf?'"

That excitement, though, faded when the 6th grader arrived at St. Francis de Sales in Southwest Philadelphia.

"I got a call from the main office. She said, 'You have to pick me up, they said I can't wear this,'" said Williams.

Williams says her daughter was told she couldn't wear her khimar, which is a head covering. The girl was otherwise dressed in her full uniform, her mother said.

The Catholic school's handbook states no head coverings are allowed, but Williams says the dress code shouldn't override her daughter's religious freedom.

"My child had so much joy leaving out of the house and they publicly humiliated her and made her feel like she was doing something wrong," said Williams.

Clothing isn't the only concern parents are dealing with during Ramadan. Tifphanie Lawton worried that her children's school, the Mathematics, Civics, and Sciences Charter School in Spring Garden, would stop their prayer.

"Our second day of Ramadan, this letter got sent out to everyone. And it hit us like a ton of bricks," Lawton told Action News.

On Tuesday, the school's founder sent a letter to staff. One of the lines in the letter read, "We will not be permitting students to pray during school hours."

"She always accommodated it and now she's taking it away," said Lawton about the founder.

The founder of the school later clarified the letter to Action News, saying the school was trying to organize prayer accommodations.

"We had so much disruptions in previous years of the lessons, that we were not going to allow students to go through the hallways and pull other students out of the classroom," said Veronica J. Joyner, founder and chief administrative officer of the Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School.

Muslim students met with administrators to express their concerns and come up with a compromise for an organized prayer option.

"We're not saying you can't pray. We just have to figure out how we're gonna do it," Joyner said to students.

The group concluded that Muslim students could meet in the lunch room after it had been cleared of food -- since fasting is a practice observed during Ramadan -- to pray.

The prayer would be led by fellow students.

Williams enrolled her children in Catholic school before the family became Muslim. She says her older daughter hasn't run into any problems with her school's dress code, even though she wears a khimar.

With no compromise from St. Francis de Sales, Williams has made a tough decision for her youngest daughter.

"She's not going back to that school. I have since enrolled her in a new school," she said.

In a statement to Action News, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia says St. Francis de Sales has a diverse community and the dress code is outlined in a handbook that is given to all families.

The statement reads in part:

"Currently, 65% of the student population is non-Catholic and several families from the Muslim faith tradition have enrolled their children at the school. We take our commitment to partner with parents in the formation of their sons and daughters seriously and are grateful that they have sought the lifelong benefits of a Catholic education.

Like every school, Saint Francis de Sales has rules and regulations that govern dress and behavioral expectations. They are clearly outlined in the school handbook, which is shared with all families at the beginning of each academic year. At that time, parents are asked to acknowledge receipt and understanding of the contents along with their willingness to abide by these regulations."