Military College Citadel Denies American Muslim's Hijab Request

A military college in South Carolina has denied a Muslim American's request to wear a hijab.

The president of Charleston's Citadel college, John Rosa, denied the request in a statement released Tuesday, saying a common uniform is "essential to the learning goals and objectives of the college" and could not be altered.

"While we hope the student will enroll in the college this fall, the Commandant of Cadets, after considerable review, determined the uniform exception cannot be granted," the statement reads.

Rules on how cadets at The Citadel should present themselves include female cadets keeping their hair "maintained in a short style" and wearing "conservative" wrist watches, according to The Post and Courier.

"The Citadel recognizes the importance of a cadet’s spiritual and religious beliefs, providing services for specific needs whenever possible," Rosa's statement says.

While the name of the incoming student hasn't been released, a spokesman for the family told the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Washington that she will likely not attend The Citadel this fall unless the school's hijab policy changes, ABC News reported.