From this schoolyear on, headscarfs are banned in the Koninklijk Atheneum Antwerpen and Koninklijk Atheneum Hoboken. If I remember correct, they are one of the last schools in Antwerp to ban headscarfs. I don’t know if it’s a good decision or not, because I don’t know the situation on the field, but I wan’t to talk about all the discussion and stuff in the media on this topic.
To the Imam of Antwerp :
1. There f*cking IS a problem with muslim men/boy forcing women/girls to wear a headscarf! Do something about it!
2. You say there is Xenophobia (hope I’m spelling it right). That’s true, and that is indeed not good, and something has to be done about that. I agree on that. But by threathening with creating your own schools and stuff you are also provoking it.
3. A school ISN’T a damn democracy! Students have some participation rights, but they are limited. Again, a school ISN’T a democracy.
To the girls voluntary wearing a headscarf : It are the rules of your school. Accept it or leave.
You seem to be misinformed about the issue.
I shall quote the Belgian Constitution
Article 19
”De vrijheid van eredienst, de vrije openbare uitoefening ervan, alsmede de vrijheid om op elk gebied zijn mening te uiten, zijn gewaarborgd, behoudens bestraffing van de misdrijven die ter gelegenheid van het gebruikmaken van die vrijheden worden gepleegd.”
Article 24
”De gemeenschap richt neutraal onderwijs in. De neutraliteit houdt onder meer in, de eerbied voor de filosofische, ideologische of godsdienstige opvattingen van de ouders en de leerlingen.”
As you, see, it clearly violates these laws. It also violates the Human Rights. The Muslims are forced to start their own schools.
Of the alleged forced wearing of the headscarf, it was blamed on the other girls, not on the boys.
I guess it depends on how you see it. I agree that the total banning might not have been the best solution, but I think it’s quite clear that a solution was needed. The pressure exists, and isn’t right. Everyone is free to choose how they experience their religion, and the headscarf is a choise too. In fact, if I’ve been informed well, the Quran doesn’t even mention the headscarf.
The pressure was blamed on the other girls indeed, but in reality, I think more pressure is coming from the boys and the fathers then from girls.
Thanks for your reaction.