Feed: Attorney General Holder fights on behalf of Islam - AggScore: 12.6

Attorney General Holder fights on behalf of Islam

---

caption id alignalignleft width210 caption Obama39s Attorney General shows signs of having a hidden political agenda, say critics. Photo DoJimg srchttpcdn2b.examiner.comsitesdefaultfilesstyleslargehash9c3ceric20holder4.jpg alt Obamas Attorney General shows signs of having a hidden political agenda, say critics. Photo DoJ width210 height170 captionAt the same time as he investigates patriotic sheriffs, suesstate governments that seek a reduction in illegal immigration, and helpsterrorists to escape punishment by insisting oncivil court proceedings, Attorney General Eric Holders Justice Department has taken action at the request ofactivists at the Council on AmericanIslamic Relations CAIR.Justice Department officials on Monday filed a lawsuit against Berkeley School District, Berkeley, Illinois, alleging that the school district violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by failing to reasonably accommodate the religious practices of Safoorah Khan, a Muslim teacher at McArthur Middle School.The governments complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago, alleges that Ms. Khan requested an unpaid leave of absence in December 2008 to perform emHajjem, a pilgrimage required by her religion.According to the complaint, Berkeley School District denied Ms. Khans request because the purpose of her leave was not related to her professional duties nor was it leave for any of the specific purposes set forth in the Professional Negotiations Agreement between the district and the teachers union.TheJustice Departmentalso alleges that, because Berkeley School District denied her a religious accommodation, the district compelled Ms. Khan to choose between her job and her religious beliefs, and thus forced her discharge.The lawsuit is based on a charge of discrimination filed by Ms. Khan with the Chicago District Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. After investigating Ms. Khans charge, finding reasonable cause to believe that Berkeley School District had discriminated against Ms. Khan, and unsuccessfully attempting to conciliate the matter, the EEOC referred the charge to the Department of Justice.In the lawsuit, the United States seeks an order requiring Berkeley School District to adopt a policy designed to reasonably accommodate the religious observances, practices and beliefs of employees and prospective employees. In addition, the United States seeks back pay, compensatory damages and reinstatement for Ms. Khan.This is the first lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice as a result of a pilot project designed to ensure vigorous enforcement of Title VII against state and local governmental employers by enhancing cooperation between the EEOC and the Civil Rights Division.Sadly, these arethe same Attorney General and Justice Department officials who ignored the EEOC when it criticized their handling of a case in which the New Black Panther Party intimidated white voters in the 2008 presidential election, said former police detective and military intelligence officer Mike Snopes.