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Documents Articles Keep your Religion at Home France has problems with its religious minorities. Is it a cultural, political or social problem? A few years ago, France took an aggressive stance against cults and sects, adopting a strategy against all kind of religious minorities. This raised opposition around the world and indifference within the hexagon. The new government changed its approach under pressure from the international community and the indifference of some the French. Religious minorities began to feel that they could be accepted. Suddenly a controversial matter arose again: The headscarf! A commission of well-respected scholars gave a negative report about the display of religious symbols in the public sphere, and of course in the schools. Consequently President Jacques Chirac, who is a moderate and ardent defender of human rights, embraced a more rigid position. The majority of the population supported his clear message: “No headscarfs in public school!” In fact, any kind of clothes or symbols that “conspicuously show religious affiliation” would not be accepted in public schools. This message was aimed at “plainly excessive” cross, skullcaps, turbans, and of course, headscarfs. Neither will “religious beards” be accepted, although secular beards will. There are about six million Muslims living in France and with the Islamic revival more and more young girls are wearing headscarves. Some for traditional purposes, some because of family or peer pressure, but others are simply proud to show their convictions and to affirm their identity. Many people, including the authorities, tend to believe that the young girls who wear headscarves, are being forced to do so. Their freedom should be protected. But, if the State allows them to impose their religious symbols in public schools, it will be the beginning of a new religious war. What is the alternative? What would happen if 1,000, 2,000, or 10,000 young Muslim girls were rejected from the public schools? How could a country which supports human rights explain that kind of discrimination? “Your new law will miss its goal” stated Iranian Nobel Prize Shirin Ebadi in a French magazine. In Iran she commented, where the headscarf is compulsory, the young girls wish to take it off. In January, the National French TV interviewed a young teenager who had been expelled from her school because of her headscarf. She was also denied permission to take correspondence courses which are provided free of charge by the state. Her father disagreed with her but he respected her choice. This young girl said: “I want to be faithful to God and I don’t attack anyone with my headscarf. I am sorry, but I can not leave my religion at the door of the public school. It makes my life more difficult, but I will give up neither my studies nor my faith.” Is “laicity” beyond the international individual rights to freedom of religion or belief? What would be the benefit for France if they closed the door on national education and the door on knowledge and progress for those who have religious convictions but continue to respect others’ convictions? Who will educate the thousands of young Muslim girls who will be expelled? The extremists? Muslims extremists and the far right will be the winners of that struggle. The Muslims will claim there is no place for the Muslims in France. While the far right will try to show that the Muslims have already taken over the country. Should the French government build special schools, paid for by the taxpayers, to educate the rejected Muslim girls? I can not imagine that such a rigid position would be held for a long time. The French do not support long time extremist positions. The opposition would become stronger and the government would have to find a “compromise”. It seems urgent that the term “religious freedom” be taught in the French public schools and be accepted in their daily vocabulary.
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