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X-Lounge denies University student entry because of turban
[FONT=georgia,palatino]University Sikh student member denied access to Indian Student Association event at restaurant venue Friday night because of ‘no head covering’ policy
[/FONT][FONT=georgia,palatino]An alleged incident of racial discrimination last week led a student group to demand an apology from a local restaurant and also led that student group to question the fairness of the business’ dress policy.[/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]At about 1:30 a.m. Friday morning, a Sikh University student was denied entry into the X-Lounge, a restaurant and bar near the Downtown Mall, for refusing to remove his turban.[/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]The student, who wished to remain anonymous because of the relatively low number of practicing Sikh students on Grounds, wanted to attend a party hosted by the Indian Student Association, of which he is a member. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]The student said as he was entering, the restaurant’s doorman quickly confronted him. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]“He said, ‘I can’t let you in with that thing on,” the student said, adding that it would have been against his faith to remove the turban.
After the student was denied entry by the doorman, ISA Co-President Aparna Baheti said she then spoke to the restaurant’s manager. Baheti said the manager could not distinguish whether the headwear was for “religious or gang use.”[/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]Following her conversation with the manager, Baheti said most ISA members attending the party promptly left. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]“The ISA believes it’s a discriminatory policy,” Baheti said. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]Some ISA members, however, remained at the X-Lounge and called Charlottesville Police, who responded but “couldn’t do anything about it,” Baheti said. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]The police told the Sikh student that the restaurant’s owners had the right to not allow people into their private establishment, Baheti said.[/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]Following the incident, the ISA released a statement via e-mail to various student organizations discouraging them from holding parties or events at the X-Lounge. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]“We are contacting you because we feel that members of the University community would not stand for this kind of discriminatory behavior,” the statement reads. “The Indian Student Association is demanding ... a change in [X-Lounge] policy regarding head coverings.”[/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]In response to various student organizations’ complaints, X-Lounge issued an apology to the ISA Saturday afternoon via e-mail. The statement calls the incident “an unfortunate mistake” in judgement.[/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]“The X-Lounge has a ‘no head covering’ policy and at times this policy has created difficult situations,” the e-mail states. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]The statement also notes that the incident showed a “lack of common sense” and that the restaurant has taken steps to “make sure that this situation is never repeated.”[/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]While the apology was prompt, Baheti said she believes it is not enough to reconcile the situation and stop similar incidents from occurring in the future. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]“The part about what specifically is going to be done [to prevent future incidents] needs to be more specific,” Baheti said. “What’s happening to the manager who did this?” [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]Although the incident occurred off Grounds, it still raised some concern within the University community. Baheti said ISA received many replies from organizations and individual students that were “pretty positive responses.” [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]“We appreciate the gestures other organizations have made towards us,” Baheti said. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]Graduate Darden student Abhilekh Kumar also said he is currently working with Darden student representatives to have Darden refuse to officially hold events — more specifically, Thursday night bar events — at the X-Lounge until the venue issues a sufficient apology. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]“This is a most unfortunate and disappointing incident and shows that there are still people in our community who do not understand the basic tenants of our country,” University spokesperson Carol Wood said. “We are, however, grateful that an apology was issued quickly and hope that this will be a learning experience for all involved.” [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]X-Lounge management did not return phone calls as of press time.[/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]University Sikh student member denied access to Indian Student Association event at restaurant venue Friday night because of ‘no head covering’ policy
[/FONT][FONT=georgia,palatino]An alleged incident of racial discrimination last week led a student group to demand an apology from a local restaurant and also led that student group to question the fairness of the business’ dress policy.[/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]At about 1:30 a.m. Friday morning, a Sikh University student was denied entry into the X-Lounge, a restaurant and bar near the Downtown Mall, for refusing to remove his turban.[/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]The student, who wished to remain anonymous because of the relatively low number of practicing Sikh students on Grounds, wanted to attend a party hosted by the Indian Student Association, of which he is a member. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]The student said as he was entering, the restaurant’s doorman quickly confronted him. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]“He said, ‘I can’t let you in with that thing on,” the student said, adding that it would have been against his faith to remove the turban.
After the student was denied entry by the doorman, ISA Co-President Aparna Baheti said she then spoke to the restaurant’s manager. Baheti said the manager could not distinguish whether the headwear was for “religious or gang use.”[/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]Following her conversation with the manager, Baheti said most ISA members attending the party promptly left. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]“The ISA believes it’s a discriminatory policy,” Baheti said. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]Some ISA members, however, remained at the X-Lounge and called Charlottesville Police, who responded but “couldn’t do anything about it,” Baheti said. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]The police told the Sikh student that the restaurant’s owners had the right to not allow people into their private establishment, Baheti said.[/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]Following the incident, the ISA released a statement via e-mail to various student organizations discouraging them from holding parties or events at the X-Lounge. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]“We are contacting you because we feel that members of the University community would not stand for this kind of discriminatory behavior,” the statement reads. “The Indian Student Association is demanding ... a change in [X-Lounge] policy regarding head coverings.”[/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]In response to various student organizations’ complaints, X-Lounge issued an apology to the ISA Saturday afternoon via e-mail. The statement calls the incident “an unfortunate mistake” in judgement.[/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]“The X-Lounge has a ‘no head covering’ policy and at times this policy has created difficult situations,” the e-mail states. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]The statement also notes that the incident showed a “lack of common sense” and that the restaurant has taken steps to “make sure that this situation is never repeated.”[/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]While the apology was prompt, Baheti said she believes it is not enough to reconcile the situation and stop similar incidents from occurring in the future. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]“The part about what specifically is going to be done [to prevent future incidents] needs to be more specific,” Baheti said. “What’s happening to the manager who did this?” [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]Although the incident occurred off Grounds, it still raised some concern within the University community. Baheti said ISA received many replies from organizations and individual students that were “pretty positive responses.” [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]“We appreciate the gestures other organizations have made towards us,” Baheti said. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]Graduate Darden student Abhilekh Kumar also said he is currently working with Darden student representatives to have Darden refuse to officially hold events — more specifically, Thursday night bar events — at the X-Lounge until the venue issues a sufficient apology. [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]“This is a most unfortunate and disappointing incident and shows that there are still people in our community who do not understand the basic tenants of our country,” University spokesperson Carol Wood said. “We are, however, grateful that an apology was issued quickly and hope that this will be a learning experience for all involved.” [/FONT]
[FONT=georgia,palatino]X-Lounge management did not return phone calls as of press time.[/FONT]
