IU eases policy on ID photos

IU has eased a policy prohibiting head coverings for student ID photos in response to complaints that the rule forced Muslim woman to remove their head scarves.\nAt least four female students who wear the head scarves, or hijabs, in accordance with their Muslim religious practices, were asked to remove their head coverings in order to have their photographs taken in recent weeks for their IU Student Identification Card.\nDean of Students Richard McKaig said his office received its first complaint about removing the hijabs on Aug. 28. But due to the Labor Day weekend, IU was not able to change the policy until Sept. 2. By then, he had received three more complaints. The original University policy stated that no head coverings could be worn in the identification photo.\n"There was understood to be a policy that there could be no head coverings in the pictures for security reasons," McKaig said. "The policy existed, but there were no complaints last year. When it was raised this year, it was examined, and it was revised. We started reviewing the policy after the first complaint. This started on Thursday and was resolved by Tuesday, so it was taken care of as soon as it was brought to anyone's attention."\nThe policy is seven years old, but McKaig said he had never received a complaint until this year. McKaig was not positive that the policy had been enforced prior to this fall and did not know what led to the sudden enforcement this year.\nAt least four female students complained to McKaig, but it is not confirmed whether there were any other incidents.\nCampus Card Services declined to comment on the situation, only saying, "The University is looking into the matter."\nOne IU student who was asked to remove her hijab questioned the policy but was told that there was no one to complain to.\n"I typed my info into the computer, and filled out a pink slip of paper, and the third step was to have the picture taken," said Aisha, who asked that only her first name be printed. "The woman said 'If you could, please remove your headpiece'. I said 'I would rather leave it on' and she said 'Well, we aren't going to be able to take the picture.' I explained that it was a religious conviction, and another woman said that it was a policy."\nWhen the policy was revised, the student was able to have her picture taken while wearing her hijab. \n"I think that the resolution came quickly, but this shouldn't have been a policy in the first place," she said. "The fact that they moved on it does mean a lot." \nSenior Nathan Ainslie, president of the Muslim Student Union, confirmed that four students were asked to remove their head coverings. He said the hijab typically covers the hair, ears and neck. Since Islam stipulates modesty in both genders, many women comply with this by wearing the hijab. Ainslie said removing one's hijab would be a sacrifice of that modesty.\nIU's former policy is not a result of state law, as the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles has a religious exemption policy regarding ID photos.\n"For religious reasons, a driver license or non-driver identification applicant may wear a head covering or scarf, but the face cannot be covered or obstructed in any manner for the ID photo," said Miriam Viernes, state BMV spokesperson.\nDave Martin, manager of the Bloomington license branch, said this hasn't been an issue in his office.\n"In this community, we take pictures like this all the time," he said. "Normally when they have a covering on, we just ask to make sure it's for religious reasons and they're allowed to leave it on. It hasn't been a problem."\n-- Contact staff writer Kehla West at a href="mailto:krwest@indiana.edu">krwest@indiana.edu.