“School girl can wear headscarf to school”
A Leuven court has ruled that a girl may wear a headscarf to school despite the fact that the school regulations ban the wearing of religious and world view signs.
World view and faith signs are banned under the rules of the Flemish community (official) schools’ network. Until now headscarves were also covered by this ban. A girl from Leuven objected and the matter was taken to court. The judge ruled in the girl’s favour. She is now allowed to wear a headscarf during all school activities. The judge added that there were no specific circumstances that justified the ban in her school. He also ruled that the general ban is out of proportion.
The judge’s ruling, however, doesn’t affect the general ban and only concerns the girl involved. The schools’ network can still appeal too. Last year a court in Tongeren made a similar ruling in favour of two secondary school children. Two Flemish community (official) schools also amended their school regulations after pupils took the matter to the council of state.