Larycia Hawkins, a professor of Political Science, Wheaton College, Chicago, United States, was placed on suspension for wearing a headscarf to show solidarity with Muslims. Wheaton College is a Christian university.
Hawkins, however, defended her action, saying it was a demonstration of her own faith and that she began wearing a hijab to counter “vitriolic” rhetoric against Muslims in recent weeks.
She chose to show solidarity with Muslims who may feel threatened after the terror attacks in Paris and San Bernardino in California as well as the call by Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump for Muslims to be blocked from entering the US.
However, a statement issued by the College said that Hawkins was placed her on leave because of statements she made about similarities between Islam and Christianity on social media. “In response to significant questions regarding the theological implications of statements that Associate Professor of Political Science Dr. Larycia Hawkins has made about the relationship of Christianity to Islam, Wheaton College has placed her on administrative leave, pending the full review to which she is entitled as a tenured faculty member,” the statement read.
By Dike Onwuamaeze