Search
Close this search box.

Med School Allows Female Student To Attend Without Publicly Undressing

Med School Allows Female Student To Attend Without Publicly Undressing

CAIR Minnesota
CAIR Minnesota
(8/14/16 – ATLANTA, GA) The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-GA) today welcomed a medical school’s decision to allow a female Muslim student to attend without removing her clothing in view of her male classmates. 

“An aspiring doctor should never have to choose between her faith and her education,” said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, executive director of CAIR-GA. “She can fulfill the obligations of both, like so many orthodox Jewish and Muslim medical professionals before her.”

The medical student, who graduated near the top of her college class, faced the prospect of dismissal if she did not agree to strip down to a sports bra, tank top and gym shorts in front of the opposite sex during classroom role play scenarios. CAIR-GA contacted the college to seek a compromise. 

“Although CAIR-GA understands that medical students must fully engage in the educational process, there must be a way for female students to do so without stripping down to a sports bra and gym shorts in view of their male classmates,” CAIR-GA said.

“After all, employers and educators in various fields, from medicine to sports to law enforcement, manage to successfully accommodate various religious garments,” Mitchell added in a letter to the college. “Indeed, American Muslim women who wear hijabs serve as paramedics, nurses, doctors, police officers, and, as of 2016, even Olympic athletes.”

The medical school ultimately agreed that the student could engage in doctor/patient role play scenarios with other female students in a secluded area of her classroom, exposing only those areas of her body necessary for examination. This accommodation would also apply to other students with a religious objection to publicly unclothing before the opposite sex. 

Read the full letter CAIR-GA authored below. The name of the student, as well as her college, has been omitted to protect her privacy.
 
Dear Dr. ******:
 
      I am Edward Ahmed Mitchell, attorney and executive director of the Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-GA).  As you may know, CAIR is our nation’s largest and oldest American Muslim civil rights organization. We engage in interfaith dialogue, promote mutual understanding, combat extremism, and defend religious minorities from discrimination.
 
      We write in regard to Ms. *******, who has accepted an offer to attend ******.  As you may know, Ms. **** graduated from college with a nearly 4.0 GPA. Ms. *** is also a practicing Muslim. Much like Orthodox Jewish women and Catholic nuns, Ms. **** wears loose-fitting clothing and a hair scarf whenever she appears in view of men outside her family.
 
      Since receiving her acceptance letter, Ms. ***** has communicated with the school about how she can best satisfy the requirements of her courses without violating her sincerely held religious beliefs. The school recently instructed Ms. **** to file a written request for an accommodation, the critical parts of which were then denied.
 
      As Ms. **** explained in her request, her religious beliefs prevent her from exposing her body, and she would therefore not be able to wear only shorts and a tank top during classes with that dress code requirement. The college responded by denying her request, concluding that she must undress for the purpose of learning.
 
      Although CAIR-GA understands that medical students must fully engage in the educational process, we hope there is a way for female students to do so without stripping down to a sports bra and gym shorts in view of their male classmates. 
 
    After all, employers and educators in various fields, from medicine to sports to law enforcement, manage to successfully accommodate various religious garments. Indeed, American Muslim women who wear hijabs serve as paramedics, nurses, doctors, police officers, and, as of 2016, even Olympic athletes.
 
      Furthermore, requiring women (or men, for that matter) to wear so little clothing around the opposite sex would effectively bar any strictly observant Jew or Muslim, among others, from attending your school. This outcome would be both unfortunate and unnecessary, for an alternative solution must exist. 
 
   For example, Ms. ***** is willing to unclothe exactly as requested in front of other women. We would therefore suggest that Ms. ***** undress and serve as a mock patient for her female classmates behind a small portable screen, curtain, or divider, much like the partitions that hospitals regularly use for patient privacy. 
 
      This accommodation would protect Ms. ****’s religious dignity while also allowing her to fulfill the requirements of her courses. Ms. ***** is willing to consider this option and other solutions, so long as she does not have to unclothe to such lengths in view of other men.
 
      Whatever the solution, our hope is that an aspiring doctor like Ms. **** never has to choose between her faith and her education. She should be able to fulfill the obligations of both, like so many orthodox Jewish and Muslim medical professionals before her.
 
      On behalf of both CAIR-GA and Ms. ****’s family, I thank you for giving this matter thought and consideration.
 

With thanks,
 
 
Edward Ahmed Mitchell
Attorney & Executive Director
CAIR Georgia