Ever since last month, when the taking of two French hostages in Iraq “had (the) unintended consequence” of uniting France in favour of the headscarf ban, i’ve been following how this affected le brown, specifically French Sikhs. here’s an update:
A French administrative court has ruled on an appeal brought by three Sikh boys who have been excluded from classes for wearing the under-turban.
However, it referred the matter back to the boys’ school, and said the issue should be resolved by further mediation between the school and its pupils.
The court recommended mediation in order to prevent setting a legal precedent that Muslim students could use.
France introduced its new law banning the wearing of all religious symbols from state schools from September.
France’s small Sikh community says the under-turban is a valid compromise.
…The French authorities admit that when the law was drafted, nobody consulted France’s small Sikh community.
This lack of planning has resulted in significant confusion, since some schools accept the “under-turban”, while others refuse to appear hypocritical, since the ban affects ALL religions, not just Muslims. Yarmulkes and large crosses are also not allowed, though fear about increasing Islamic Fundamentalism among French youth is what inspired the law in the first place.
