Muslim woman protested when she was barred from municipal court for wearing a hijab
After a woman wearing a hijab complained that she wasn’t allowed in the municipal court to pay her speeding ticket, the city changed its policy to allow head coverings for religious reasons.
Kendra Montemayor went to the Haltom City Municipal Court Tuesday afternoon where a bailiff told her that head coverings weren’t allowed.
The Dallas-Fort-Worth chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-DFW) is holding a press conference outside of the Haltom City Municipal court at 1 p.m. Thursday to highlight the need for courts to change their policies about head coverings.
Executive Director Faizan Syed said he is glad Haltom City changed its policy, but Muslims and other religious groups where head coverings are worn face discrimination because other municipal courts do not allow them.
Sayed said Montemayor was “brave enough” to make a recording of what happened, and that it was inappropriate for Montemayor to be told that she couldn’t come into the court room.
Montemayor posted a video on Facebook describing what happened and sent emails to the Haltom City mayor and council members.
Montemayor said in the video that judge Loraine Irby “talked down” to her.
“I just came here to pay my ticket. I was speeding, I just came here to do what I was told, and you won’t let me in,” she said.
Montemayor also said “the injustice is unreal.”
Haltom City Manager Rex Phelps said judge Loraine Irby met with Montemayor and told her she could come inside the courtroom once she realized she was wearing a hijab, but Montemayor went to the cashier’s window to pay her fine.
“Nobody intended to offend or discriminate against her and her faith,” Phelps said.
Phelps sent an email to Montemayor, which said in part, “Please know that no one intended to offend or discriminate against you or your Faith. The courtroom policy as it relates to head coverings has been a general rule that was intended to treat everyone equally and safely. Today, Judge Irby advised she was going to make sure that in the future her courtroom policy makes the exception to allow for head coverings in the courtroom as long as it is for religious reasons.”