Students arriving at school wearing the abaya will not be able to enter their class, but “will be welcomed” by schools, which will have to “explain to them the meaning” of this ban from the start of the school year, said Thursday August 31, the Minister of Education, Gabriel Attal.
The latter, who had announced on Sunday the banning of this long traditional dress covering the body and worn by certain Muslim students, underlined Thursday on France Inter that the new rule would also concern the qamis, a male version of the abaya.
“Behind the abaya, behind the qamis, there are young girls, young boys and there are families. Human beings with whom it is necessary to dialogue, to do pedagogy, “said the new Minister of Education.
“Explain the Meaning of the Rule”
“They will be welcomed, they will be welcomed and there will be an exchange with them to explain to them the meaning of the rule. Why are we making this decision. Why can’t we wear the abaya, the qamis, in the school”, continued Gabriel Attal, specifying that “from Monday” none of these students will be able to enter class.
“Secularism is one of the fundamental values ??of the school of the Republic”, he insisted, justifying the timing of this announcement, his first even before the start of the school year, by his “exchanges with the heads of establishment” who were “awaiting a clear rule”.
In some establishments, “you can have several dozen people who are concerned” and the heads of establishment must be “accompanied to do this mediation work”, further explained the minister.
To this end, a note will be sent to them “today” [Thursday], in which the government “clarifies the rule”: “It gives a number of leads, guides to do this work of exchange. A letter will also be sent to the heads of establishments “for the families” concerned, according to Gabriel Attal, who did not deliver the content.
The announcement of the ban on the abaya, in the continuity of the law of March 15, 2004 prohibiting the wearing of outfits or signs which “ostensibly manifest a religious affiliation”, aroused controversy in particular on the left, and France insubordinate promised to attack the decision before the Council of State.
