Eighth grade student expelled and arrested after setting fire to Muslim relief teacher's hijab

Incident happened at Westdale Middle School, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

It began when Muslim teacher told the 14-year-old off for misbehaving



When she turned around to continue lesson he took a lighter to her hijab

Policeman: 'He made a bad, bad choice and faces serious consequences'

A schoolboy has been arrested for setting his teacher's hijab on fire moments after she told him off for misbehaving in class.

The 14-year-old eighth grader, who has not been named, was attending a lesson at Westdale Middle School, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, when the substitute teacher reprimanded him for causing trouble.

When she turned around to continue the class, the boy allegedly took out a lighter and put it to her Islamic headdress.

Attack: The boy set fire to the teacher's hijab, a headscarf worn by Muslim women that covers only the head and neck but leaves the face clear (stock image)

The headdress immediately caught fire sending the teacher and class into a panic.

but fortunately she managed to put the fire out and only suffered minor burns which were treated at the school.

The school's drug task force responded to the incident which occurred on October 4 and arrested the boy. He has since been expelled.

The school: The parish superintendent said it was 'unfortunate that one student out of the almost 1,200 at Westdale made a bad, bad choice and faces some pretty serious consequences'

Parents have vented their anger at not being told of the incident for more than three weeks, some having alleged a cover up.

Why the incident has only come to light now remains unclear.

School officials called it an 'isolated incident.'

'It’s unfortunate that one student out of the almost 1,200 at Westdale made a bad, bad choice and faces some pretty serious consequences,' East Baton Rouge Parish Superintendent Bernard Taylor told The Advocate local newspaper. 'But it doesn’t change the fact that Westdale is a fine school.'







