"French schools are all expected to create an atmosphere of coexistence among the students," said Fillon

By Hadi Yahmid, IOL Correspondent

PARIS, Sept 16 (IslamOnline.net) – A French minister called Tuesday, September 16, for respecting the secular nature of the country by enacting a law banning any religious signs in schools, including the Muslim hijab and the Jewish Kippah or skullcap.

Speaking before a panel on secularism set up by President Jacques Chirac, Social Affairs Minister Francois Fillon voiced his personal support for endorsing a bill forbidding "the ostentatious wearing of any religious sings in schools."

He argued this position was based on France's strict secular tradition in the public sector and in the interests of integrating immigrants by instilling French values.

"French schools are all expected to create an atmosphere of coexistence among the students irrespective of their ethnic or religious backgrounds. Secularism, in short, is chosen by France and should be adopted by school curricula," he said.

The French Socialist Party – France's most influential leftist party – on Tuesday urged former French minister Bernard Stasi, who heads the secularism panel, to draw up a social covenant that respects secularism.

The party also criticized so-called "ghetto schools" in France, saying that they did not encourage the incorporation of immigrants into the French society.

President Chirac set up the secularity commission in July to rule on whether new legislation was needed to handle a growing debate over religion in schools, particularly Muslim schoolgirls wearing hijab.

It is expected to submit its report to Chirac by the end of this year after questioning other ministers and representatives of French non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and various syndicates.

France's 60-million strong population counts around five million Muslims, and tensions in some schools have risen recently with teachers ordering Muslim girls to take off their hijab or leave the class.

Serious Consequences

Analysts, however, warned that enacting a law banning religious sings in schools, particularly hijab, would spark hot debates nationwide and warned of "serious consequences."

They said that there remained a schism between the political powers in France on the pro-secularism law despite their agreement on the importance of enhancing secularism in schools.

On May 24, up to 100 secular dignitaries in France called for respecting the right of Muslim girls to wear hijab in schools, arguing that secularism was against discrimination.

The issue of hijab has recently sparked much controversy in France, especially after the establishment of the first Muslim representative body in the country.

French Premier Jean-Pierre Raffarin did not rule out passing a law to ban Muslim girls from wearing hijab to allow secularism restore its strength in the European country.

The secularism drive came, however, as the first secondary Muslim school opened classes earlier in the month in the French city of Lille after the government go-ahead in July.

Ibn Rushd secondary school launched a website showing two Muslim girls one wearing a hijab and the other without to demonstrate the openness of its rules of admission which do not set hijab as a prerequisite to join classes.