Muslim Cadets claim unequal treatment.

[PsychoDad]

MUSLIM CADETS ALLEGE UNEQUAL TREATMENT
Dick Foster, Rocky Mountain News, 6/17/05

http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/state/article/0,1299,DRMN_21_3862347,00.html

COLORADO SPRINGS - Muslim cadets at the Air Force Academy were prevented from attending mosque services last semester because of school obligations, while similar duties were scheduled to avoid conflict with Jewish and Christian services, a Muslim student says.

The issue of unequal treatment for the academy's Muslims comes as the school is working to address charges of religious intolerance, favoritism and proselytizing by its large evangelical Christian population.
...
But in March, the group formally sought permission to skip Friday lunch and the following two hours at the academy - from noon to 2:30 p.m. - for the remainder of the semester to attend a weekly service.
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Still, a "sanction committee" of staff and faculty approved the Muslim students' request, but then attached so many restrictions that it effectively blocked the cadets from attending services, the student said.
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The Muslims said a Jewish chaplain took personal interest in their case and submitted their request.

[Igel]

1. It would be interesting to see what the restrictions are.

I've only run into this problem once, with a very sensitive, very observant, and very retrograde Muslim who knew exactly the terms of an appointment he got to a student committee. He knew when the meetings traditionally were, he knew when we'd be voting on the meeting schedule. He didn't show up to vote, he didn't ask anybody to present his requirements; the meetings were at the traditional Friday 12-4 pm. He was not happy. We were racist.

As it turns out, so was UCLA, who flunked him because he signed up for courses he couldn't attend.

Then again, I once had a EE final scheduled for Saturday morning that I, a 7-th day Xian, refused to take. The prof replied, in as many words, that since he wasn't allowed off on Friday, his day of rest, why should he let me (sneer) have my sabbath off. I talked to the provost, he assumed I was Jewish, and the prof was told I would get a makeup exam. It was a small, private N. Jersey school with a large Jewish population, and lots of Jewish alumni who donated lots of money to the school. Other (state) schools I went to made no such allowances; you miss a midterm or class, the teacher decides if a religious excuse is good or not. Frequently 'not'. In fact, there have been threads on DU where the denizens are greatly split--no accommodation, as though our weekends weren't already an accommodation--or accommodations should be made. But frequently only for certain groups.

My attitude: Make due exceptions for Muslims, but also for everybody else, no questions asked. But the thing about society with a diverse set of beliefs is that it can't be structured for everybody. So somebody--and it's not going to be the majority--will have a less than perfect experience. Either they'll miss something important, and have to make it up, which imposes on other people--or those things will just be cancelled, either making their lives easier or harder (depending on exactly what they miss and don't make up).