Here’s the story:
| School to provide Muslim students with foot baths
Plans to construct two foot-washing stations continue at the University of Michigan at Dearborn amid concerns that such action would constitute an establishment of religion by the public university. The 8,700-student school near Detroit, which begins fall classes Tuesday, came under criticism in June when it announced that it would spend about $25,000 on the two foot-washing areas that were requested as an accommodation by a Muslim Student Association’s task force. […] Data from a study of entering freshmen suggest that about 10 percent of students at the university are Muslim, and many have in the past used bathroom sinks for the foot washing, called an ablution, which Islam requires as a purity ritual before its five-times-daily prayers. […] The foot baths, while benefiting Muslim students, are open for use by all students and will be located in two new unisex bathrooms that will be renovated on campus. |
My question: Won’t the Muslims refuse to use those footbaths on the basis that they would be ineffective “purifiers” if infidels use them?
And my next question: Won’t Islamic code bar them from unisex bathrooms?
I’d say the university tried to kill too many birds with one stone on this one.