French Muslim student banned from class for wearing long skirt

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 09:41 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436

(Google image) French Muslim student Sarah 15 banned from class for wearing long skirt

Charleville-Mezieres, France (IINA) - A French school's decision to bar Muslim girl from classes for wearing long skirt has sparked outrage among the Muslim community, after the head teacher insisted the outfit was too openly religious. 
According to French media reports, a 15-year-old French girl was banned from her class twice for wearing a skirt that was too long, and therefore supposedly a conspicuous display of religion. France's state secularism has led to very strict laws prohibiting students from wearing overtly religious symbols in institutions of education.
The student, identified as Sarah, already apparently removed her headscarf before entering the school, in accordance with French law. But her long skirt was deemed a "provocation," and potential act of protest.
The skirt was “nothing special, it’s very simple, there’s nothing conspicuous. There is no religious sign whatsoever,” AFP reported on Tuesday quoting the student.
According to the official, Sarah used to take off her hijab before entering the school premises in the north-eastern town of Charleville-Mezieres.
The school decision has sparked anger among French, with the hashtag #JePorteMaJupeCommeJeVeux, translated into English as “I wear my skirt as I please” that has been trending since its launch.
On the other hand, the regional education office backed the school decision, saying that the outfit could have been part of a concerted “provocation.”
“When it comes to concerted protest actions by students, which follow other more visible incidents linked for instance to wearing the veil, the secular framework for education must be firmly reminded and guaranteed,” regional education office said in a statement.
It is noteworthy that Sarah's case is not the first in France, last year, around 130 students were barred from classes for their religious outfits, according to the CCIF Islamophobia watch.
In addition, French Muslims have been complaining of restrictions on performing their religious practices. In 2004, France banned Muslims from wearing hijab, an obligatory code of dress, in public places. Several European countries followed the French example.
"Wearing a long skirt is nothing ostentatious. This is more due to mass hysteria," said Abdallah Zekri, President of the National Observatory against Islamophobia, the Local reported.
SM/IINA

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