Can Muslim girls wear headscarves to schools in other parts of Europe?
Yes, although the situation is very chequered. In Britain, Muslim girls are free to wear the headscarf. In Germany, there is a heated debate over the issue and some states are considering banning headscarves in schools. The most striking parallel with the current situation in France is Turkey. There, the secular republic banned headscarves in public institutions. That has led to many girls being excluded from the public system. In France headscarves are already forbidden for people working in the public sector, but that rule – which is not a law – is occasionally broken. A Muslim employee of the city of Paris was recently suspended for refusing to take off her scarf or shake men’s hands.
