Hijab ban in French schools

French Education Minister Gabriel Attal’s statement that he would not allow long abaya and entari-style dresses to be worn in schools on the grounds that they go against secularism sparked backlash.

As of September 4, the country’s schools begin the new educational period. Minister Attal’s statement on TF1 television before the opening of schools, that they would no longer allow wearing abayas (long dresses) in classes and that they would talk to school administrations to implement this ban, sparked reactions in the country.

In France, the Ministry of Education shared last week the press release of the report on the increase in violations of secularism in schools. In the text, it was stated that “violations of secularism have increased by 150 percent” in recent years, with girls and boys wearing clothing similar to the abaya, tunic and toga in schools.

The ministry considered this to be contrary to the law on secularism, promulgated in 2004, which prohibits religious symbols in schools.

The French newspaper L’Opinion described the rise in students’ preference for “Islamic clothing” as something of an “epidemic” in an article published last year. Immediately afterwards, President Emmanuel Macron pointed out that any “epidemic” situation requires “precautions” and instructed the former Minister of Education, Pap Ndiaye, “to respond very clearly to all situations in which the laws of the Republic are not respected”. .

DISCUSSION ON SECULARISM IN FRANCE

In France, where the headscarf is currently banned in primary and secondary schools, the long dress worn by girls called the “abaya” is considered a religious symbol.

With the secularism law of 1905, France took the path of separating religion from state affairs. In October 1989, three high school students were expelled from school for refusing to remove their headscarves. This event entered the political literature of the country as the “question of the veil of Creil”. On November 27, 1989, the Council of State decided that it is not against secularism for students to wear symbols that reveal their religious affiliation.

The issue of the headscarf has been the subject of debate in the country for many years, and in 2004 the wearing of religious symbols was banned in all public primary and secondary schools. In France in 2015, a 15-year-old girl wearing a long black skirt was not allowed to go to school. (AA)