Wearing the hijab in schools

There’s been a bit of talk about this today, seemingly the Department of Education has refused to issue guidelines in the past, when schools have asked whether or not it should be allowed, and now a head teacher has publicly called for it.

I’m not quite sure where I stand on this. There’s a lot of things to take into consideration.

First the obvious, that women from Ireland would have to cover up in Saudi Arabia. Some people on the radio have been using this as a reason to say that the hijab should be banned, basically saying we’d have to play by their rules, so they should play by ours. I disagree with this completely. Ireland is a liberal democratic republic, and we should not be taking our cues from an opressive dictatorship like Saudi Arabia.

But there are reasons to ban it. School isn’t a place for displaying religious affiliation, or shouldn’t be. But even more than that, I mean this is why kids wear school uniforms, because it should be a level playing field for all children, so that none of them can be singled out as different – whether by ethnic, social, or religious background. School should be a place where everyone is equal, not a place for emphasising differences.

Having said that, I’m extremely liberal, so I have a great distaste for banning things. And I believe in religious freedom, even though I believe that religion is all nonsense (I don’t believe my views should be imposed on anyone else). So that part of me says allow it.

Then again, I don’t believe that your religion should give you any special rights. I don’t believe that just because your religion advocates polygamy, you should be allowed three wives. I don’t believe that you should be exempted from wearing a helmet while on a motorcycle, even if your religion requires an elaborate headdress. I don’t believe that religion should exempt you from any laws. This is a liberal democratic republic, and you have freedom within our laws, and if you choose to live here, you have to live within our laws, like it or not. Would other kids be allowed to wear hats in school? I don’t think so, and i don’t think the religious nature should be taken into account, it shouldn’t make any difference.

So I’m torn. I think I’m leaning towards a ban, and I’d certainly be for a ban for any covering more than a headscarf – the whole body and whole body including face coverings are a definite no. But I’m uncertain about headscarfs. No wonder the Department of Education doesn’t want to issue guideslines.

Mind you, that may have been under Mary Hanafin. I wonder would Batt O’Keefe be any different?

Edit: Batt O’Keefe made a statement this afternoon emphasising that his department felt it was a matter for individual schools to consider in the context of their ethos. Talk about batting the pitch foul! I have to say that this smacks desperately of a Fianna Fáil Minister trying not to offend the Muslim population of Ireland with the local elections only a year away. Shame.