Hong Kong Muslim faith leader calls for schools to be more sensitive after pupils told to shave beards adopted as way to observe faith
- Pupil at Man Kwan Pak Kau College in Tin Shui Wai asks imam to intervene after he and others were ordered to remove their beards or risk demerits
- Imam says it is not the first time the Muslim Council of Hong Kong has been asked to help school pupils who encounter problems with wearing beards or hijabs
Muslim leaders in Hong Kong have raised concerns over the cultural sensitivity of teachers after two teenagers asked for help over their schools’ request to shave off the beards they grew as a way of observing their faith.
Ali*, a Form Five pupil at Man Kwan Pak Kau College in Tin Shui Wai, said he and two other Muslim classmates were warned several times they would get demerits if they kept their beards.
“The discipline teacher said that it gives our school a bad look,” the 16-year-old said. He added that he felt “threatened” and scared as demerits could lead to expulsion.
Ali said he and the other two pupils ended up shaving earlier this month, but admitted he had lost faith in his school.
“I’ve had enough of this, and I said to the school that it was super wrong,” he said.
