I am a staunch believer in defending the things that you love. I am also going to be a Citadel graduate in just three short weeks. As the school year comes to a close, high school seniors from around the country are placing their deposits to become members of The Citadel Class of 2020. In this matriculating class, there will be future doctors, lawyers, and officers of the U.S. military. There will be men and women of all walks of life who drive on to campus with the same nervous energy that every alumnus or current cadet has felt. One young lady may enter the gates for the first time with many eyes watching her. This girl will enter with the same academic and physical proficiencies as all of the rest of her future classmates, but she will have one distinct difference from every person who has ever graced a Citadel uniform; she will be wearing a hijab.
When news first circulated that the Citadel was considering granting this girl's request to wear a hijab, while being a cadet, there was a sense of shock. It quickly became a “hot topic” among students and faculty. Some took their opinion to Facebook, while others read stories by The Washington Post and other popular news outlets. Alumni began “sounding off” with their opinions. I want to make it perfectly clear that I love my institution no matter the circumstances. My love has never wavered, even when situations were not so pretty. I will never fault another human being for having an opinion and it is our First Amendment right to speak our minds. Whenever someone speaks up with what they believe is right and wrong, I have to smile. Whether I agree with them or not, I have to respect the fact that people care so deeply for The Citadel. We have such a strong network of students and alumni because we decided to take the road less traveled and it made us better. I just wonder if this girl will have the opportunity to share in the relationships that we cherish so dearly.
I am not writing this to share my opinion on the matter. Instead I want to look at facts and I want to look at rights. When the school released a statement on Friday, April 15, 2016 saying that, “a student who was recently accepted into The Citadel for the fall semester is seeking approval to wear a hijab with cadet uniforms. The college is reviewing the request at this time,” I could not fault my institution. The school is doing its due diligence in reviewing the student’s request. I think that it is safe to say that everyone knows that freedom of religion is protected in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment is also crucial in this circumstance. It states, “No State shall...deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” This protection means that any case brought in front of a court regarding freedom of religion has to have a high level of scrutiny. The burden of proof would not fall on the student, but instead would fall on the school. The Citadel would have to prove that by allowing this potential student to wear a hijab, it would compromise the standards in place. The school would have to prove that rejecting her request is the only possible way to uphold the integrity of the corps.
The Citadel has always been characterized by its traditions, both good and bad. The Corps of Cadets looks much different now than it did in 1994, the year before I was born. In 1995, the first female matriculated. It looks much different than it did in 1965, the year my father was born. In 1966, the corps of cadets became integrated. For 124 years, nothing changed in regards to who was accepted. In the last 50 years, everything has. Is it fair to say that tradition failed? The obvious answer is no, tradition did not fail. Instead, the school had to adapt. Adaptability is a very strong trait. I often think about Charles Darwin when I think about adaptability. His studies showed that the strongest, fittest, and most adaptable survive. Just like any animal, the school must successfully adapt to survive and prosper as well.
The Citadel is a strong military college that ranks high nationally in education and the number of military officers it produces. Priding itself on a military model, it is important to recognize that just two weeks ago, Captain Simratpal Singh, a 2010 West Point Graduate and Bronze Star recipient, was given permission to wear a turban and beard. He expressed his gratitude that the Department of Defense granted his wish because he was torn between the two things that he loved the most: his faith and his military service. It is important to note that he was prepared to take this issue to court.
The Citadel’s decision will be a hard one. Not because of the legal aspects that could arise from the decision, but because no matter what, the school will face backlash. Allowing the student to wear a hijab could lead to negativity from cadets and alumni. Not allowing the student to wear a hijab will result in negativity from religious communities around the world and will also contribute to the negative perception the school has received in regards to minorities. Traditionalists have argued that the school has not openly fought this and that it may have something to do with the recent issues the school has faced in the media. While we could sit here and argue about tradition all day long, I believe that only one tradition matters at the end of the day. That tradition is that The Citadel produces principled leaders. With that in mind, a decision will be made swiftly. In the meantime, I hope my fellow cadets and alumni will stand by our school like I will choose to do. No matter what decision is made, I know that The Citadel is strong and adaptable. It is anyone’s guess what the school will look like 20 years from now. What is certain though is that The Citadel is a special place and I cannot fault anyone for wanting to go here. I also cannot fault someone for standing up for their religion. The two will intersect at some point, and when they do, in order to not compromise the hundreds of years that the school has survived, we have to accept change and learn to adapt.
