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Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
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Islamic college in row over ‘virgins’
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An Islamic college in Australia is under investigation after claims its principal banned girls from taking part in running competitions because they might “lose their virginity.”
Victoria state Education Minister James Merlino said yesterday that if true, the claims made by a former teacher at Melbourne’s Al-Taqwa College “would be very concerning.”
“I have asked the schools regulator to investigate,” he said in a statement.
The ex-teacher wrote to government this week saying “the principal (Omar Hallak) holds beliefs that if females run excessively, they might ‘lose their virginity,’” The Age newspaper said.
“The principal believes that there is scientific evidence to indicate that if girls injure themselves, such as break their leg while playing soccer, it could render them infertile.”
Hallak issued a statement yesterday denying the allegations, saying girls are “encouraged to participate in all activities.”
“We do not believe that running excessively may cause female students to lose their virginity or that sporting injuries could render them infertile,” the statement said.
It did not address claims that girls from the college’s primary school had been blocked from district events.
The Age published a letter that appeared to be written by the college’s cross-country team to Hallak challenging his decision to reportedly stop the primary school’s team from competing in events.
“Just because we are girls doesn’t mean we can’t participate in running events,” the letter said.
“It also doesn’t say that girls can’t run in the hadith (sayings of the Prophet Mohammed),” it said.
Al-Taqwa College is believed to be Victoria state’s largest Islamic school with about 1,700 pupils.
It is not the first time Hallak has made headlines.
Last month, he told The Age that he had instructed students not to join Islamic State as the jihadist group was a plot by Israel and the United States to gain control of Middle Eastern oil.
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