Published June 12. 2017 02:46PM
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Muslim student-athletes at one U.S. high school no longer have to be slowed down by worries that their headscarves might fall off.
Deering High School in Portland, Maine, is providing sport hijabs with the goal of making Muslim girls comfortable. The lightweight scarves stay put and are less bulky than other hijabs, garments that cover the hair and are worn by many Muslim women to express their faith.The co-captains of the school's tennis team raised more than $800 online to buy the hijabs. They solicited private donations to avoid criticism for using taxpayer funds on religious apparel, and ended up with enough to outfit all teams.The high school is believed to be the first in the U.S. to provide hijabs for Muslim athletes.
Tabarek Kadhim, a sophomore at Deering High School in Portland, Maine, wears a sports hijab while playing a tennis match in Windham, Maine. AP PHOTO Copyright - Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
In this May 24, 2017 photo Fadumo Adan, a lacrosse player at Deering High School, wears a sports hijab provided by the school during practice in Portland, Maine. Deering High School is providing sport hijabs with the goal of making Muslim girls comfortable and boosting their participation in sports. Tennis co-captains Liva Pierce and Anaise Manikunda solicited private donations to avoid criticism for using taxpayer funds on religious apparel, and ended up with enough to outfit all teams, including lacrosse, soccer, volleyball, softball, field hockey and track. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Copyright - Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
In this May 24, 2017 photo Tabarek Kadhim, center, congratulates an opponent after a tennis match in Windham, Maine. Deering High School is providing sport hijabs with the goal of making Muslim girls comfortable and boosting their participation in sports. Tennis co-captains Liva Pierce and Anaise Manikunda solicited private donations to avoid criticism for using taxpayer funds on religious apparel, and ended up with enough to outfit all teams, including lacrosse, soccer, volleyball, softball, field hockey and track. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Copyright - Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
In this June 1, 2017, photo Israa Enan wears a stylish hijab during an interview at Deering High School in Portland, Maine. Enan, who recently graduated, admitted she shied away from going out for high school sports teams because of the embarrassment she would have felt if her stylish scarf fell off during competition. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Copyright - Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.