France’s new school year to start with abaya ban
Students wearing abaya will not be allowed in class from Sept. 4, says education minister
ANKARA (AA) – The new school year begins in France on Monday with a ban on abayas, a loose-fitting garment worn by some Muslim girls.
Education Minister Gabriel Attal said that female students wearing an abaya would be allowed to enter the school building but would not be allowed to attend classes.
Instead, they would be sent for a talk about their choice of dress.
Attal said the ban was necessary to uphold France’s secular values and ensure that all students are treated equally.
“They (students) will be welcomed to the school and there will be a discussion to explain to them the point of the rule, why this decision was taken, and why they cannot wear abaya or qamis at school,” Attal told broadcaster France Inter.
He said the abaya is not a traditional French garment and could be seen as a sign of religious extremism.
The ban was criticized by some Muslim groups, who called it discriminatory.
The ban on the abaya is the latest in a series of measures by the French government targeting Muslims.
In recent years, the government has also banned the wearing of the niqab, a face-covering veil, in public places and raided mosques and charitable foundations.
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