Hundreds show up in Chelsea, Que. to support hijab-wearing teacher, who was re-assigned

Hundreds of people gathered Tuesday afternoon to show support for a teacher who was recently re-assigned at a Chelsea, Quebec school because she wears a hijab.

Parents, children, and members of the community came to speak out about Bill 21, which bans some public sector employees in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols while on the job.

Earlier this month, Fatemeh Anvari was removed from her position because of the law.

BACKGROUND: ‘It is very shocking’: Parents react after Quebec teacher removed from position for wearing a hijab

The school board says the woman won’t be back in the classroom and has been assigned another role at the school.

“We do object to this bill. But–and there’s always a but–by the same token, that we are representatives of the Quebec government,” Wayne Daly, Interim Chair for the Western Quebec School Board previously told CityNews.

“We work for the Quebec government, this is a legitimate law in the province of Quebec, we are citizens of the province of Quebec, and as such are expected to follow the legitimate laws of the province of Quebec.”

Meanwhile, Jagmeet Singh says he would support federal intervention in a court challenge to the Quebec law.

The NDP leader said Tuesday he always believed the law was discriminatory but has hardened his stance on court action following the case of  Anvari’s case.

Parents and children, along with community members, have protested outside the school to voice opposition to the law and express support for the teacher.

Speaking at an Ottawa news conference, Singh said it was unfair that a Muslim woman who wears a hijab would not be allowed to teach in Quebec, but her brother, who does not wear any religious symbols, would be permitted to do the job.

“Given what we have seen in Chelsea, given that we saw a woman that was removed from the classroom just because of the way she looks? Now is the moment to be very clear and say if this case gets to the federal level then the federal government should support the three million Quebecers who are opposed to this law and opposed to discrimination,” he said.

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• ‘It’s a law that is reasonable’: Legault on Bill 21 debate after teacher re-assigned
• Trudeau talks China and Quebec’s Bill 21 in CityNews year-end interview
• Quebec board wrong to hire teacher who wore hijab given secularism law: Legault

Singh has previously criticized the law but stopped short of calling for federal intervention in the past.

Singh, who is Sikh and wears a turban, said Tuesday he has experienced discrimination himself.

“The federal government should support the Quebecers who are fighting this discrimination in court,” he added.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said earlier this week that he deeply disagrees with Bill 21 and his government has not ruled out intervening in a legal battle against the law “at some point in time.”

Tory Leader Erin O’Toole has said the issue is a matter for Quebec.

At a news conference on Tuesday, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet said in French: “We understand in Quebec, once again, that the federal parties are unanimously against Quebec on the issue of secularism.”