France urged to ban religious symbols in schools
French President Jacques Chirac is being urged to legally ban Islamic head scarves and other religious symbols in public buildings, including schools.
A 20-member panel agreed unanimously that France should impose a law banning “obvious” religious and political symbols from public schools.
Such a law would forbid students from wearing headscarves, yarmulkes or large-sized Christian crosses.
The panel, headed by Bernard Stasi, who holds the title of national mediator, submitted its report to Chirac in Paris today before publicly releasing it.
“Secularism is the separation of church and state, but it is also the respect of differences,” Stasi told a news conference, adding that the commission’s proposed law was intended so people of all religions could “live together in public places”.
Several girls have been expelled from public schools this year for wearing Islamic head scarves, fuelling debate over the notion of secularism, a constitutionally guaranteed principle that is a core value of modern-day France.
Current rules forbid “ostentatious” symbols of religion in public schools and other public buildings.
The panel concluded that the existing language left too much room for interpretation. Use of the world “obvious” in a law would clarify that religious symbols cannot be visibly worn at school, according to Le Figaro newspaper.
Chirac – who has made clear his opposition to blatant religious symbols in the classroom – said he would address the nation next week with his own conclusions.
Religious leaders, Christian and Jewish, have said they are opposed to a law banning head scarves from schools, expressing, instead, concern about better integrating the Muslim community.
