Senators move to ban veil in schools

6 January 2004

BRUSSELS – Belgian schools should outlaw the wearing of ostentatious religous dress, including the islamic headscarf, according to a proposal outlined Monday by two Belgian Senators, Socialist Anne-Marie Lizin, and Liberal Alain Destexhe.

Large crosses, veils, tchadors and kippas would be banned in Belgian schools by the end of 2004 if their resolution, to be tabled before senators, and similar to proposals made in France at the end of last year, is passed.

Arguing that ostentatious religious iconography works against gender equality in the school environment, Lizin and Destexhe said the law would “protect minors and favour emancipation.”

“In all Muslim countries, women are fighting to be liberated from the veil and affirm their identity. It is not normal that more women carry a veil in some Brussels neighbourhoods than in the streets of Algiers,” Lizin said.

The Senatorial duo will be lodging their proposal at the Senate for review, while Lizin hopes to create a Stasi Commission like working group to carry out research on the subject across the country and encourage debate.

Subject: Belgian news