Malden Discusses Mystic Valley School Hijab Incident: 'There Will Be Change'

MALDEN, MA — Representatives of Malden’s Mystic Valley Regional Charter School gathered alongside local religious leaders, city and state officials and members of the general public on Tuesday days after the school drew widespread criticism for giving a student a uniform violation for wearing a hijab in class.

Mystic Valley School Board of Trustees Chairman George Warren promised change following the incident. Religious leaders separately discussed a joint process moving forward with the school, with some saying they are confident that change can happen.

Others in the audience shared their thoughts, at times questioning and criticizing the Mystic Valley School after numerous controversies and issues dating back several years.

“Why do our girls need to go through all of this over and over again?” former Mystic Valley parent May Abuhasan said, referencing a school policy requiring a letter from a religious leader before granting a uniform exception to wear a hijab.

Student Received Uniform Violation

The Mystic Valley School enrolls nearly 1,600 students from area communities including Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Stoneham and Wakefield.

It has been in the spotlight on multiple occasions in the past, drawing action from the state Attorney General in 2017 after it punished a pair of students, who are black, for wearing hair extensions purportedly in violation of the uniform policy.

That incident led to the passage of the CROWN Act earlier this year, banning discrimination based on hairstyles in Massachusetts.

Controversy erupted again late last week when family members shared photos on social media showing a uniform violation given to an eighth-grade student who wore her hijab on her first day of school this fall.

The school responded with a statement on Sunday, noting its policy to allow accommodations for religious attire, such as a hijab.

"As part of this process, we request a letter expressing this desire from a member of their clergy," the school said.

The school said on Sunday that it would reach out to local faith leaders as part of a process to review and update its policies. The city of Malden then announced Tuesday’s event early Tuesday afternoon, describing it as a “Solidarity Prayer Service.”

The event took place in the Malden City Council’s meeting room within Malden City Hall, drawing dozens of attendees both in-person and online via Zoom.

Former Malden Islamic Center Director Nichole Mossalam led the meeting, introducing Warren and an array of leaders from area religious communities. The intent of the event, she said, was to allow leaders to share their thoughts while providing community members with a chance to speak to Mystic Valley School leaders.

“I hope we can continue this process as a community, because it’s about our children,” Mossalam said during the meeting.

Incident Was ‘A Betrayal,’ Religious Leader Says

Speaking early in Tuesday’s event, Mohanad Mossalam of the Malden Islamic Center discussed last week’s incident and its context, referencing “the hardship and discrimination that Muslim women go through on a daily basis for wearing the hijab.”

“The school is one of those places that our children consider to be safe places,” Mossalam said. “So, it hurts even more when (a child) is singled out by a teacher telling her that she does not belong, that she is in violation of the uniform, that she has to fill out a compliance form to be accepted.

He called this act “a betrayal for every Muslim girl that identifies the school as that safe place.”

In discussing last week’s incident, Mossalam said he is “hopeful” that there will be serious changes to the Mystic Valley School’s uniform policy.

“I have absolute trust in God,” he continued. “I trust the people of this great city. I trust our interfaith leaders. I trust our mayor and our elected officials. And I am here hoping that I will learn to trust the board members of the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School.”

Warren spoke after Mossalam, initially crumbling up what he said was a statement that the school's lawyers had prepared for him.

He called last week’s incident “unfortunate” and “not intentional” before saying that the teacher who made the initial referral for a uniform violation in this incident “bears no culpability in this.”

“He was following instructions,” Warren said.

That teacher, Warren said, has been “traumatized” by the incident and the response to it.

“That has to stop,” Warren continued. “Direct your anger, and hopefully that will be abated at some time, at me.”

Warren reiterated elements of the Mystic Valley School's previous statement, saying the school will work with spiritual leaders “to make sure that all children are safe and free to practice their religion.” He said he hopes to earn community trust, adding that he looks forward to future dialogue.

In later comments, Warren emphasized that there was no detention or any other consequence given in this incident beyond the uniform violation form.

“The child was given an incorrect form,” Warren said. “We realized immediately that that form was not appropriate for the circumstance.”

Warren said the school reached out to the student's family to meet with them.

The Massachusetts chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations separately said last week that that "the immediate situation is under control, as the student is wearing her hijab in school.”

Community Shares Thoughts

Silence initially greeted Warren and faith leaders in Malden on Tuesday as Nichole Mossalam opened the meeting to comments from the public.

After that silence, a person who did not give her name said that some of the reluctance to speak could be due to a fear of retaliation.

As some attendees did speak, they shared a variety of experiences both in Malden at large and within the Mystic Valley School community.

May was among the speakers, recalling her experience when she said her daughter chose to wear a hijab in sixth grade at the Mystic Valley School eight years ago. She questioned why the policy of requiring a letter to wear a hijab remains in effect.

“Why do we have to go through these steps when a lot of students have been through it already?” she said. “The school already knows about the culture. The school already knows about the hijab.”

Warren responded to May’s comments, saying the school’s policy of requiring a letter was meant to protect against “religious appropriation” by people who might want to use the hijab as a “fashion statement.

“The hijab,” Warren said, “will always be welcome at the school.”

Tuesday’s community meeting ended after a little over an hour of discussion.

Mystic Valley School leaders subsequently headed upstairs within City Hall for a private meeting with faith leaders and city officials to discuss next steps and possible policy changes.

READ: Malden Student Given Uniform Violation For Wearing Hijab, Family Says