Pupils will be banned from wearing abayas, loose-fitting full-length robes worn by some Muslim women, in France’s state-run schools, the education minister has said.

The rule will be applied as soon as the new school year starts on 4 September.

France has a strict ban on religious signs in state schools and government buildings, arguing that they violate secular laws.

Wearing a headscarf has been banned since 2004 in state-run schools.

    • Moyer1666@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      I never felt like there was much of a point for them. It was annoying for my family because we always had to buy specific clothes for school

      • Mr_Blott@feddit.uk
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        1 year ago

        The whole point nowadays is to stop kids being bullied for not being able to afford the “right” clothes; that’s part of the point of this law too

        • duffman@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Prevention of tribes is the best benefit imo. I remember on school there were a number of ethnic/cultural groups that didn’t socialize with people out of their group. I don’t believe that fosters a healthy community, and behaviors or symbolic garments to identify you as a member of a group reinforce those group identities instead of all being human beings.

        • TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Yup. I’m thankful for school uniforms. I came from a poor family and being mocked for wearing cheap clothes would’ve been awful, I was already ridiculed enough for my background as-is.

          Personally I’m with France on this one.