the muslim headscarf in france

one of the things I talked about at the micro-conference in march 2004 was the new french law forbidding the wearing of headscarves in school.

why am I writing about france – what does it matter what the french do, that’s their problem isn’t it?

not really.  in the first place, even though this example is very specific for france, it is nonetheless an example with wide-ranging applications, which will affect even us.  it’s a question of identity – who am I?  and in the second place, it is very likely that the prohibition will extend beyond schools, out into other areas of public life.  many european countries are watching what’s happening in france, to see what to do with their own minorities.  romania is now part of a very diverse world, and once it has joined the EU, many diverse people from outside will want to come into romania.

there are probably 5 million muslims in france, of which many are poorly integrated into society.  the french are worried by a religion which is too powerful (which isn’t surprising, given the historical conflict between the catholic church and the state in france.)  french schools consider themselves to be places where you learn the key values of france – tolerance, modernism, freedom of thought.  these are excellent values, I’d say, but the current thinking is that ostentatious symbols of religious affiliation contravene these values (it seems that wearing symbols of other forms of alternative lifestyles is ok, as long as it isn’t a religious alternative lifestyle...)  a large majority from within france is in agreement with the new law – and even about half of french muslims.