Wed, 11 Feb 2004 03:09:35 GMT

French Parliament & Religious Symbols in School. BBC | French Parliament Votes The French Parliament voted today to pass the law banning religious symbolism in its public schools. This includes the banning of Muslim hijab. I would like to be able to take a strong stand on… [Flailing in the Surf]

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while i have problems with religion in schools institutionally, i am not as concerned about people who exist in the institutions as students demonstrating their beliefs, just so long as the school treats everyone equally and without bias. what i really don't like is the institutionalization of religion in schools, where classrooms, teachers, etc. prosecute their religion upon another. I don't have a problem with even teachers wearing religious dress as long as they don't try to convert anyone and answer questions like 'why do you wear a n x?' with answers like 'because i am an z' and following on with 'what is a z', it is a person that believes in v, etc. etc. just the facts, and then students will be faced throughout their life with the plurality of facts that construct a cultural mileiu, the same milieu that they will have to live in most of their lives, and learning that is very important. or at least i think so.