Pupils will be banned from wearing abayas, loose-fitting full-length robes worn by some Muslim women, in France’s state-run schools, the education minister has said.
The rule will be applied as soon as the new school year starts on 4 September.
France has a strict ban on religious signs in state schools and government buildings, arguing that they violate secular laws.
Wearing a headscarf has been banned since 2004 in state-run schools.
You don’t know any Sikhs then. Talk to a few and get back to me. They proudly wear turbans because it’s part of their religion to break down social class barriers and their adornments are meant to symbolize their desire to help fellow man. Sikh kids WANT to wear it as a sign of maturity in their faith, not because anyone is pressuring them into dressing that way. And you want to hold them back from this?
Muslims and Arabs have similar ideas; men grow facial hair both to show manhood and to imitate their beloved prophets. Should France ban beards like China does against its Uighurs? Where does this oppression end, in the name of France’s phony “freedom”?
As soon as it becomes apparent certain clothes or even hairstyles are forced on people to show they are part of a group, a ban can be discussed. Especially when they are forced on young children.
Every fundamentalist will use the same argument as you do: that these children merely want to express their religious feelings. Sadly, you can’t open that door to those that won’t force it on their children, to protect those of those who will.
I’m sure a righteous god won’t think wearing a uniform is all that important in showing your love.
It’s not about a uniform. Every religion has a defining trait, and for Islam it’s modesty. Muslim men and women often cover their hair or don’t wear shorts, etc. For some reason this angers the French far right, who have discussed things like banning wearing longsleeves on beaches in order to stick it to Muslims. For example, there was an actual debate among French politicians to ban Muslim women from wearing wetsuits on French beaches because somehow this offended French sensibilities. You don’t find that intrusion ridiculous?
Sadly, the ones that would want to wear it to be modest will have to find another way to do that, as there are too many fundamentalists forcing people to wear it as a religious symbol. Protecting the oppressed takes precedence here, especially given the scale
Wanna make Christians switch to something other than a cross too while you’re at it? Because Christian terrorists wear crosses according to your logic. The state shouldn’t be interfering in religions or deciding what is acceptable in the faith or not. Don’t you see how dangerous that is to not separate religion and government in Europe?
Christian terrorists could be wearing batman underwear, I don’t really think that’s relevant here