Jacques Chirac has declared that France ‘must outlaw Islamic head coverings, Jewish skullcaps, and other obvious religions signs in schools and regulate them in the workplace.’ according to the Star-Ledger.
A ban on wearing conspicuous religious insignia such as head scarves, large crucifixes or Jewish skullcaps in public schools will likely be in place by the new school year in September. President Jacques Chirac, in a nationally televised speech, asked parliament to adopt a law instituting the ban.
The move has been criticized by the US ambassador at large for international religious freedom as reported in this Washington Post article.
Interesting enough the head of the Union of Islamic Organizations of France, Fouad Alaoui has encouraged Muslim girls to attend Catholic schools instead of submitting to the ban.
“There will be either girls who don’t accept expulsion and they will take off their scarves … or there will be those who don’t take them off,” Alaoui said in a telephone interview. “I will ask them to join private Catholic schools.”
Catholic schools represent some 95 percent of private schools in France, according to Gilles du Retail, spokesman for the Catholic Education headquarters. In some heavily Muslim areas, including Marseille and northern France, the Catholic schools have a Muslim student population of up to 70 percent, he said.
Fortunately numerous American officials have stated that while teachers are often asked to not display prominent religious accessories, students in non-uniform situations are mostly free to express their individual faiths. Given the American tradition of defending the individual’s right to practice religion in addition to the seperation of church and state, this type of legislation is unlikely to ever be imposed on American school children.
Religious Accessories banned in French Schools
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Jacques Chirac has declared that France ‘must outlaw Islamic head coverings, Jewish skullcaps, and other obvious religions signs in schools and regulate them in the workplace.’ according to the Star-Ledger.
The move has been criticized by the US ambassador at large for international religious freedom as reported in this Washington Post article.
Interesting enough the head of the Union of Islamic Organizations of France, Fouad Alaoui has encouraged Muslim girls to attend Catholic schools instead of submitting to the ban.
Fortunately numerous American officials have stated that while teachers are often asked to not display prominent religious accessories, students in non-uniform situations are mostly free to express their individual faiths. Given the American tradition of defending the individual’s right to practice religion in addition to the seperation of church and state, this type of legislation is unlikely to ever be imposed on American school children.