By Kouthar Sambo
Following allegations of Islamophobia against Vista High School Principal Mrs. Charline Little, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) told VOC News that the claims are false.
The allegations surfaced after a viral social media post accused the principal of telling Muslim female students, “This isn’t Makkah,” and allegedly asking them to remove their headscarves during Ramadan.
“The allegations are untrue. WCED officials visited the school earlier this week, and learners were wearing their headscarves. The school respects all religions, and the right to wear religious attire is protected in the school’s Code of Conduct,” the WCED stated.
The department further condemned the spread of misinformation, saying, “These kinds of comments are dangerous and put both teachers and learners at risk. There is no excuse for disrupting schooling or targeting staff members with false claims. Unfortunately, that is exactly what these unfounded allegations have led to.”
Despite the WCED’s response, the incident has unsettled members of the community. Certain social media users are convinced of the allegations due to the specific nature of the alleged remark: “This isn’t Makkah.”
One user questioned, “Why would someone make up a statement like that?” Another user stated, “Something doesn’t add up here… I don’t understand why kids would say this… willingly.”
Photo: VOCfm [strock file/illustrative]
