Pupils will be banned from wearing abayas, loose-fitting full-length robes worn by some Muslim women, in France’s state-run schools, the education minister has said.
The rule will be applied as soon as the new school year starts on 4 September.
France has a strict ban on religious signs in state schools and government buildings, arguing that they violate secular laws.
Wearing a headscarf has been banned since 2004 in state-run schools.
France has adopted laicite for years and frankly it’s the right thing for secularism. It doesn’t stop people worshiping whoever or whatever they like in their spare time, or wearing whatever religious garb they want. But not on government property including state schools.
I’m with you but I think anglo-saxons don’t get it because of a cultural thing.
What’s sad is that they just keep criticizing without trying to understand France approach to laicité and cultural assimilation, thinking somehow that their view is the right way (which is kind of insulting). Makes me think of the whole trevor noah dispute against the french ambassador about the french football team being “african” (which most french people find to be insulting). There are french things it seems that americans/british will never get, which is fine, but please don’t act as if your moral compass is superior.
Also it’s surprising that many France’s left-side parties are against this, they used to be the more fervent supporters of laicité. The fact that this is more of a right-wing thing make that rule seem more about stigmatization even in french debates somehow, where it IMO shouldn’t be.