Schoolgirls who refused to change out of the loose-fitting robes have been sent home with a letter to parents on secularism.
French public schools have sent dozens of girls home for refusing to remove their abayas – long, loose-fitting robes worn by some Muslim women and girls – on the first day of the school year, according to Education Minister Gabriel Attal.
Defying a ban on the garment seen as a religious symbol, nearly 300 girls showed up on Monday morning wearing abayas, Attal told the BFM broadcaster on Tuesday.
Most agreed to change out of the robe, but 67 refused and were sent home, he said.
The government announced last month it was banning the abaya in schools, saying it broke the rules on secularism in education that have already seen headscarves forbidden on the grounds they constitute a display of religious affiliation.
The move gladdened the political right but the hard left argued it represented an affront to civil liberties.
The 34-year-old minister said the girls refused entry on Monday were given a letter addressed to their families saying that “secularism is not a constraint, it is a liberty”.
If they showed up at school again wearing the gown there would be a “new dialogue”.
He added that he was in favour of trialling school uniforms or a dress code amid the debate over the ban.
Uniforms have not been obligatory in French schools since 1968 but have regularly come back on the political agenda, often pushed by conservative and far-right politicians.
Attal said he would provide a timetable later this year for carrying out a trial run of uniforms with any schools that agree to participate.
“I don’t think that the school uniform is a miracle solution that solves all problems related to harassment, social inequalities or secularism,” he said.
But he added: “We must go through experiments, try things out” in order to promote debate, he said.
‘Worst consequences’
Al Jazeera’s Natacha Butler, reporting from Paris before the ban came into force said Attal deemed the abaya a religious symbol which violates French secularism.
“Since 2004, in France, religious signs and symbols have been banned in schools, including headscarves, kippas and crosses,” she said.
“Gabriel Attal, the education minister, says that no one should walk into a classroom wearing something which could suggest what their religion is.”
On Monday, President Emmanuel Macron defended the controversial measure, saying there was a “minority” in France who “hijack a religion and challenge the republic and secularism”.
He said it leads to the “worst consequences” such as the murder three years ago of teacher Samuel Paty for showing Prophet Muhammad caricatures during a civics education class.
“We cannot act as if the terrorist attack, the murder of Samuel Paty, had not happened,” he said in an interview with the YouTube channel, HugoDecrypte.
An association representing Muslims has filed a motion with the State Council, France’s highest court for complaints against state authorities, for an injunction against the ban on the abaya and the qamis, its equivalent dress for men.
The Action for the Rights of Muslims (ADM) motion is to be examined later on Tuesday.
As opposed to muslims?
The middle east was a haven for philosophy and science, two thousand years ago. A shame so much of it fell apart due to religious extremism
It fell apart after colonialism, and then Western powers proceeded to fund extremist political groups like the brotherhood, Wahhabists, Al-Qaeda, etc. to combat the leftists.
The Middle-East was also home to the Arab Slave Trade, which is exactly why everyone left and went to Europe
And there was no Islam two thousand years ago, Islam is newer than Christianity. There were people living in the Middle-East before both religions started you know
Yes. “Muslims” aren’t (isn’t?) a fascist place
Only a fascist religion, got ya.
Not that either. Have a read here, maybe you’ll stop embarrassing yourself: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism
Have a read here, maybe you’ll stop embarrassing yourself:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamofascism
You think a religion can’t be fascist? Lmao.
Alright let’s take a read. Let’s start at the very beginning of the “scholarly analysis” section.
Ahh, I didn’t expect that you’d link me an article that says your argument is full of shit.
Ok ok let’s look at the few scholars who had a position of agreement
Ahh, nice! Americans and Europeans, the inventors of fascism, think that Muslims are actually fascist. The same ones that support mass murder machines and wars around the world? I sure would trust those people… If I was the dumbest man on earth. Thankfully I’m far from that, but we know who is 👀.
I highly urge you to block my account so that you’re less likely to embarrass yourself in the future.
But we are discussing this in a post about muslims in Europe, huh? So you wouldnt trust Americans and Europeans, but you are urging to come live here? Why dont go to muslim countries, if they are so perfect?
Not at all bro, lets keep dicussing in a good manner. Waiting here for you answer to the above comment.
Where do you see me urging anyone to go anywhere? Where do you see me calling “Muslim countries” perfect? The middle east and north Africa has been ravaged by European colonialism, and it continues to be ravaged by wars sponsored by them. It is very much the opposite of perfect.
Well, congrats, like it or not, France is a secularism country, so follow the rules just as other people do.
“but it is fascism!”. No, it is not. Go to islamic countries, were women are killed if they dont cover themselves, or LGBT people are killed for literally just existing, then youll understand what fascism is.