Back to School

[sierra_le_oli]

La rentrée is a big event in France. Dominating this year's rentrée is the law forbidding girls from wearing Muslim headscarves to school. The kidnapping of two journalists by Iraqis opposing the law has ensured maximum attention during the back to school week

Comments

[rmc28]

I am feeling tempted to start wearing headscarves ... it would be no worse than my range of silly hats. How do you tell the difference between a headscarf worn because you feel like it and one for religious reasons?

[happydisciple]

As far as I can tell from the papers, many schools avoid the religious angle altogether and ban any form of headgear. It's a simple enough generalisation.

Funnily enough, my secondary school didn't allow people to wear hats and such in class, unless it was for religious reasons.

[sierra_le_oli]

To explain a little more, a lot of schools already had rules against head coverings, with exceptions made for religious ones. Teachers have waged war on casquettes (caps) for years.

Previously, there was a law against 'ostentatious' religious symbols worn by pupils, but it was left to the discretion of the school as to whether they would enforce such a rule. I don't know how many did or didn't.

headgear

[kelvix]

Driving up through France today on the way back from Menno parents, we listened to the World Service reports on the "controversial new law". Apparently there are about 10 pupils who have objected, and it may affect the French hostage situation.

IIRC, there are provisions in Health and Safety law about the wearing of hardhats on building sites. The only people who are excluded from having to wear hardhats are Sikhs - but they go without the hardhat at their own risk. Liability by the company for not enforcing the wearing of said hardhat will not be borne in the same way as for the rest of the employees not wearing the proper equipment...