French Schools Send Dozens of Muslim Girls Home for Wearing Abayas
The government announced last month that it would ban the abaya in schools, claiming that it violated the country's secular principles. The move has been met with condemnation from Muslim communities and some politicians who consider the ban an affront to civil liberties.
On Monday, nearly 300 girls showed up to school wearing abayas, French Education Minister Gabriel Attal said on Tuesday, adding that 67 of them who refused to change their dress were sent home.
The government has said that it will be "uncompromising" in enforcing the ban. However, an association representing Muslims has filed a motion with the State Council, France's highest court, seeking an injunction against the ban.
The recent ban has sparked significant controversy. Critics, particularly on social media platforms, assert that loose, body-covering attire does not inherently represent a conspicuous display of religious affiliation and, as such, should not be prohibited within educational environments.
Numerous opposition lawmakers have expressed their reservations about this restriction. Danièle Obono, one such legislator, has characterized it as a “new Islamophobic campaign.”
In recent years, France has introduced various bans and restrictions related to clothing associated with Islamic customs, often leading to robust reactions from Muslim nations and international organizations. In 2018, the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled that a 2010 French ban on the niqab, a full-face veil worn by specific Muslim women, constituted a violation of the human rights of those who chose to wear it.
Source: Agencies
