The French are often wrong about imputing motives to the U.S. when the U.S. is continuing to dominate the world in economics and military might.  This might simply be envy but we might very well pay attention to what a French Panel says about banning religious attire in school. The Muslim veil is at the center of the issue in France and wearing a distinctive headdress in school is seen as a challenge to secularism. This is not a tricky question.  Should Muslim girls be prohibited from wearing the distinctive garb while in “PUBLIC” school? Should Jewish “kipot” (hats) be permitted in the public school classroom? Should overlarge religious symbols be worn as jewelry?

Let us examine this question from the educands point of view. Children love to imitate for when they see something exotic and fresh, they often want it for themselves.  In their own culture, children are copycats and usually conform to the norm of the group despite the attractiveness of some new fad.  If popular leaders do it, they do it.  If a garment is worn as a sign of rebellion, the urge to join is great.  However, children like to conform while at the same time they like to be individual.

School uniforms are adopted in many school districts to simplify the management of school behavior.  If the student wears the uniform no matter how sloppy he or she is, this is a desired behavior. Nevertheless, every child would like to be distinctive in some way while conforming.  It is something like belonging to the military where everyone dresses the same but the option to excel can result in having insignia of a higher rank awarded for that conformity. In this sense, badges are like religious symbols.

When religion enters the picture if you are in a country where there are two distinctly opposing groups, wearing distinctive garb encourages teaming up as shows of strength rather than devotion to a religious cause.  In France, there is a strong devotion to secularism despite the core of Catholic and Protestant belief.  Newcomers, mainly from Islamic nations, pour in to reinforce the largest minority of believers in the Qu’ranic message originally from Algeria that once swallowed a great number of French lives in the attempt to quell rebellion there. 

France, a nation that stills prides itself for its “egalite”, has accepted Black Africans and dark Muslims. Questions remain whether to allow religious dress in school.  One solution might be if such garb is important, then special schools where everyone wears it should be built – privately and for parochial reasons.

When religious battle lines are drawn in the classroom, there is no room for education.