CALGARY – Two Muslim students who won damages after a private Calgary school didn’t allow them to pray on campus grounds and wouldn’t let them re-enroll are sharing their experience. The students are speaking out after a decision by the Alberta Human Rights Commission fined the Webber Academy $26,000 for not allowing them to practice their faith.
READ MORE: Webber Academy appeals $26K fine after denying Muslim student prayers
In 2011, the two Grade 9 and 10 students were told their praying—which requires bowing and kneeling—was “too obvious” in a non-denominational school. The teens continued to hold their prayers in secret in the school or outside, but were refused enrollment for the following school year.
“It was very challenging, because after those two weeks we would try to find any nook or cranny that we could pray in,” said Naman Siddiqui from his new home in Vancouver. “There was a lot of fear that developed during that time, because we were constantly looking over our shoulders. When me and Sarmad would go and pray together, one of us would pray and the other would serve as a lookout to make sure that nobody was coming and seeing us praying.”
“Even outside of the academy, when we wanted to pray outside in public, we would be fearful,” he said. “And we never had that fear beforehand.”
The second student, Sarmad Amir, agreed it was a stressful experience.
“It was pretty nerve-wracking…because we had to work on school in addition to worrying about our prayers and it was a bit distracting from the schoolwork,” said Amir. “It was just a difficult time to go through.”
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The families of the two students—who now live in Vancouver where their children attend post-secondary school—issued a joint statement on Monday. They said when they first enrolled their children they “expressly asked” if they could pray for about five minutes when required, and were given permission to do so for two and a half weeks.
READ MORE: Families clarify ‘misconceptions’ in Webber Academy Muslim prayer decision
“The school administration later reversed their decision, which is what prompted the impasse between our families and the Webber Academy administration,” said the statement.
Siddiqui’s mother, Shabnam Nazar, said she was the one who received the shocking call that her son wouldn’t be able to re-enroll from Dr. Neil Webber, academy president and founder. Nazar said she and Amir’s mother felt scared and helpless.
“That’s the message that we were feeling: that you can be either Canadian or you can have faith. Because my understanding previously was that we can be both at the same time.”
University of Calgary professor and human rights advocate Darren Lund said he doesn’t consider the case “massively groundbreaking.”
“I see it as in line with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms of these are the kinds of cases where we actually—as Canadian pluralistic society—have to be better,” said Lund.
But Webber Academy officials are appealing the decision.
“We did not want Webber to become a house of prayer,” said Dr. Webber. “All religions can practice their religions, we believe, outside our environment.”
With files from Jill Croteau
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