Hijabs, Other Clothes Will Be At Hand For ISD 191's Muslim Pupils

BURNSVILLE, MN — ISD 191 recently announced that faculty had purchased modest clothing and hijabs for Muslim girls to use if their clothes get soiled during the day.

The district had backup clothes for students to use such as jeans and t-shirts in the case of a spill or other accident, but didn't have many options for Muslim girls, the district said.

Maryan Ali, cultural liaison at several ISD 191 schools and recipient of Burnsville’s Community Builder Award, wanted to change that and had a vision of providing modest clothing and hijabs for Muslim girls to wear in the event of a spill or other occurrence, ISD 191 said.

The Burnsville Education Association set a goal of fundraising $800 for the project and two teachers from Gideon Pond Elementary School joined Ali on the project, the district said. The group ended up raising nearly $3,000 thanks to community support, according to the district.

The group visited several stores and purchased 126 hijabs and 48 skirts in varying sizes and styles, the district said.

The group also ironed "One91" patches onto the purchased clothing, according to ISD 191.

The leftover money was given to the nonprofit, Foundation 191, for future clothing needs, according to the district.

ISD 191 said that the fundraiser raised awareness and has inspired similar projects in other districts with a large Muslim population.

“We don’t just say words, we work hard to take action,” Ali said. “We believe that our schools should represent the students we serve, and this project is one way to show that.”