French experts favor law banning ...

[AuntieSocial]

French experts favor law banning head scarves from public schools

Click here to read the article on the original site

Published: December 11, 2003
News Service: Associated Press

PARIS, Dec. 11 — A presidential panel recommended Thursday that France ban Islamic head scarves, Jewish skullcaps and large crucifixes at public schools. Although directed at all three religions, the measure was clearly aimed at countering Islamic fundamentalism.

The conclusions of the panel — after six months of study and 120 hearings — is at the heart of a wrenching debate in France on how to integrate its Muslim community, the largest in Western Europe.

There are fears that head scarves signal inroads by extremists among the country's 5 million Muslims, who make up 7 percent of the population of this predominantly Catholic country. But Christian and Jewish religious leaders recently opposed a law banning head scarves from schools and favored better integration of the Muslim community into the mainstream.

Bernard Stasi, who headed the commission, said its members were shocked to discover a ''situation more serious than we thought.'' He spoke of ''forces that are trying to destabilize the country.''

The report said hospitals and prisons have seen a growing tendency to impose religious practices. It said some hospital corridors are used as prayer rooms and some men refuse to allow their wives to be treated by male doctors.

Moise Cohen, president of the Consistoire of Paris, which directs religious Jewish life, said Thursday he opposes a head scarf law because it could be viewed by Muslims as discriminatory and ''exacerbate emotions.''

Two leading Muslim representatives appeared to reject the commission's report, though in mild terms.

The French Council for the Muslim Faith, an umbrella group, said it ''approves'' the positions of the Jewish and Christian religious leaders and ''encourages everything that can strengthen the spirit of concord and tolerance.''

The head of the Great Mosque of Paris, Dalil Boubakeur, withheld approval of the panel's conclusions, saying only that he shares President Jacques Chirac's concerns about ''guaranteeing freedom in the framework of secularism.''

There was no immediate reaction from the Catholic Church. But the Protestant Federation of France said it was ''agreeably surprised'' with the scope of the report, saying it helps clarify ''the principles of secularism in 21st century France.''

Chirac, who appointed the panel, will announce next week whether he supports banning conspicuous religious symbols from schools.

But he has already made clear his opposition to head scarves in the classroom. On a visit last week to Tunisia, Chirac told high school students that wearing a veil in France was seen as ''a sort of aggression.''

Head scarves are already forbidden for public servants, but that rule — which is not a law — is occasionally broken. A Muslim employee of the city of Paris was recently suspended for refusing to take off her scarf or shake men's hands.

Several girls have been expelled from public schools this year for wearing Islamic head scarves. There are on average about 150 complaints involving head scarves annually, according to the French Education Ministry.

The 20-member panel agreed unanimously that France should impose a law banning ''obvious'' religious and political symbols from public schools, such as head scarves and yarmulkes. Small pendants like the Star of David would be permitted.

Stasi stressed that the commission's work did not target France's Muslim community but would give all religions more equality and free young girls who, in some cases, are forced to wear head scarves.

''Muslims must understand that secularism is a chance for Islam,'' Stasi said. ''Secularism is the separation of church and state, but it is also the respect of differences.''

France's largest high school teachers union said the report didn't go far enough in calling for secularism to prevail in public schools.

''Veils are just one problem,'' said Daniel Robin, national secretary of the SNES union. He said several of France's regional administrations still require religion to be taught in public schools and have clergy on their payrolls.

The commission also recommended what would be a first for France — adding Jewish and Muslim holidays to the school calendar.

There is currently no law banning head scarves in schools or elsewhere. In 1999 France's highest administrative body ruled that scarves should be banned only when they are of an ''ostentatious character,'' but left it to schools to make the call case by case. The same applies to skullcaps and crucifixes.

The panel concluded that the rule's language left room for interpretation and that a law banning the ''obvious'' display of religious symbols would be easier to enforce.

Proponents of a law say that students who wear Muslim head scarves to school, just like civil servants who cover their heads on the job, are challenging the nation's secular underpinnings.

© 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

[Yaw]

What a preposterous idea. The state has no right to force people to change their religion, or to transgress it in a secular system -- just like the state has no right to impose a religion. There is absolutely no logical reason why women should not be allowed to wear head scarves in the classroom. The statement that wearing a scarf constitutes abuse is bigoted, and quite beside the point. Any issues of actual abuse that force a woman to do anything, religious or otherwise, should be covered quite adequately by existing laws on the subject of abuse. This new law is unnecessary, and abusive in its own right to people who are religious by choice.

Not only that, it is far more likely to increase resentment in France than it is to help productive multicultural relations.

[AuntieSocial]

Yaw said:

Not only that, it is far more likely to increase resentment in France than it is to help productive multicultural relations.

That's my thoughts exactly ... it will drive the religious adherents underground and most likely them angry at the state ...

It has been show many times through history that the abolishion of religious practice doesn't work. Allowing the adherents their practices, as long as they don't infringe on people of other faiths (or no faith), is the only way to ensure equality.

[Yaw]

As a follow-up, this bill passed in France's lower house today by a wide margin. Original article can be read here.

French lawmakers vote for scarf ban
Parliament votes overwhelmingly to ban religious garb in public schools


PARIS (AP) - France's lower house of parliament today voted overwhelmingly to ban students from wearing Islamic head scarves and other religious apparel in public schools.

The measure, which would outlaw conspicuous religious clothing and symbols in schools, was approved 494-36. It now goes to the Senate, where little opposition was expected, in early March.

Implementation of the law was expected next September.

The bill stipulates that "in schools, junior high schools and high schools, signs and dress that conspicuously show the religious affiliation of students are forbidden."

It would not apply to students in private schools or to French schools in other countries.

Sanctions for refusing to remove conspicuous religious signs and clothing would range from a warning to temporary suspension from school to expulsion.

[Acriku]

This doesn't exactly help the image of secularism.

[AuntieSocial]

Acriku said:

This doesn't exactly help the image of secularism.

You're absolutely right, Ariku. To me, an individual should still have a right to individual expression, as long as they are not infringing on another's rights. However, I would have difficulty if someone who was in a position of authority wore religious symbols or clothing (such as the teacher in Pennsylvania who was filed for wearing an oversized cross to class).

So, how do you find a happy medium? That's always the challenge with secularism. How do you allow for individual expression while minimizing (or better yet, eliminating) the effects of peer pressure and other forms of influence?