Philadelphia, PA – A U.S. appeals court in Philadelphia says prison officials can ban employees from wearing Muslim headscarves out of safety concerns.
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The judges say the case is a close call. But they say prison officials have legitimate concerns the headscarves can hide contraband or be used by an inmate to choke someone.
The 2-1 decision is a defeat for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The commission believes the three Muslim women employed at the Delaware County Prison in Thornton had to compromise their religious beliefs to keep their jobs.
Monday’s ruling upholds a district judge who dismissed the EEOC lawsuit.
The suit was filed against the Geo Group, a Boca Raton, Fla.-based contractor that operated the prison.
can they ban shtreimels too?
That is a wise decision and necessary for the ssftey of both guards and inmates. Its the same reason that most federal prisons will no allow prisoners to have stuff like teffilin or other religious items that some prisoners regard as important to their personal beliefs but the risk is too great to allow.
can a part of a pair of pants/shirt or other article of clothing be used to strangle someone?