Teacher sacked for ripping off pupil's hijab in scuffle

New York City Education Department canned a Bronx substitute teacher after he allegedly ripped a hijab off the head of an eight-year-old student, injuring her eye in the process.

Police say the girl was misbehaving in class at the Bennington School on May 2 when the substitute teacher, 31, told her to remove her hijab, the New York Daily News reports.

When she refused, a physical altercation occurred where he allegedly pulled the hijab off her heard, bringing it down across her face and causing irritation to her right eye, officials said.

The child was taken to Jacobi Hospital.

Doctors said there was no permanent damage to her eye.

The teacher, who started working in New York city schools in January and does not have tenure, wasn’t charged or arrested, education officials said.

The department fired him from his $176.21 per-day substitute job on May 3 after they learned of the girl's accusations.

“This alleged behaviour is completely unacceptable,” Education Department spokesman Michael Aciman said.

“This individual was removed from the school immediately and his employment has been terminated.”