Academics & Education

Belgian provincial government approves headscarf ban for students from next academic year Protesters gather outside provincial government, chanting, 'My headscarf, my choice'

(Anadolu) The provincial government of East Flanders has approved a headscarf ban for students in provincial schools beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year, broadcaster VRT reported on Wednesday. Earlier attempts to implement a similar measure were blocked by Flemish Minister of Internal […]

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German court bars Muslim woman from serving as judge due to her headscarf Administrative court rules state neutrality outweighs religious freedom; critics say decision discriminates against Muslim women seeking public office

(Anadolu) A German court has ruled that a Muslim woman cannot serve as a judge or prosecutor if she refuses to remove her headscarf during court proceedings, a decision critics call a violation of religious freedoms. The administrative court in Hesse announced […]

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Europe’s growing ‘honour killing’ problem The brutal murder of an 18-year-old girl in the Netherlands, allegedly at the hands of her own family members, must force an uncomfortable conversation about migration and integration.

(European Conservative) Last May, two brothers allegedly bound their 18-year-old sister in packing tape, gagged her, and drowned her in a swamp. This was an honour killing, motivated by what the girl’s brothers saw as her “westernisation.” During the trial last week, […]

Academics & Education

Quebec’s sweeping secularism bill crosses ‘the line’ and targets minorities, groups charge The CAQ would rather talk about banning public prayer than health-care or education cuts, the National Council of Canadian Muslims says.

(Montreal Gazette) The National Council of Canadian Muslims says it is considering legal action after the Quebec government tabled a new secularism bill Thursday. Quebec’s minister for secularism, Jean-François Roberge, presented the Bill 9, which builds on Quebec’s existing legislation, Bill 21, […]

Academics & Education

New secularism bill to ban prayer in schools, restrict offering of religion-based meals Radio-Canada has confirmed government's plan to enact several new measures

(CBC) The Quebec government plans to enact a series of measures expanding its secularism rules across public institutions, including a ban on prayer rooms in universities and CEGEPs and restricting the offering of religion-based meals. Radio-Canada confirmed the contents of the province’s […]

Children & Teens

French Muslim councils file complaint over poll accused of fueling anti-Muslim hatred Councils say survey uses leading questions and reinforces prejudice amid sharp rise in anti-Muslim acts

(Anadolu) Several Muslim religious councils in France have filed a legal complaint over an Ifop survey they say distorts the religious practices of French Muslims and fuels a climate of growing anti-Muslim hostility. The complaint targets a poll commissioned by the little-known […]

Academics & Education

Austria’s largest party calls for full headscarf ban in schools Right-wing extremist FPO says government plan to ban headscarves for girls under 14 does not go far enough

(Anadolu) Austria’s right-wing extremist Freedom Party (FPO), the largest faction in parliament, on Thursday called for a general ban on headscarves in all schools, saying the coalition government’s plan to restrict the ban to girls under 14 is insufficient. In a press […]

Academics & Education

Berlin high school faces lawsuit over ban on Muslim prayer rooms Educational experts note that prayer rooms in schools can create tensions among students and complicate school management.

(European Conservative) A civil rights association has filed a lawsuit against a Berlin high school for prohibiting prayer rooms, arguing that the policy discriminates against Muslim students. The Society for Civil Rights (GFF) filed the action on October 16th, citing state anti-discrimination […]

Academics & Education

Socialist teachers protest Austrian headscarf ban The teachers suggested the government should focus more on sugary foods than forced Islamization among the youth.

(European Conservative) The Austrian federal government has introduced an important draft law that prohibits religious headscarves for girls under the age of 14. This measure, designed to protect young girls from societal pressures and promote an equal, focused learning environment, is set […]

Academics & Education

The roots of Quebec’s secularism debate, why it isn’t going away — and who it benefits Premier François Legault promises to counter threat of ‘radical Islamists’ by banning prayer in public

(CBC) Premier François Legault’s fiery promise to defend Quebecers from “radical Islamists” by banning prayer in public has reignited a debate that has dominated the political agenda in the province for the last 20 years. In a speech to open the latest session […]

Academics & Education

SPÖ-linked teachers call Austria’s hijab ban ‘off target’ Vienna’s planned Islamic headscarf restrictions for girls up to the eighth grade have drawn criticism from Social Democratic teachers.

(European Conservative) Austria’s planned headscarf ban for girls under 14 has sparked new criticism — this time from teachers’ unions linked to the Social Democratic Party. The teachers’ representative body called the measure a “blatant miss of the mark,” arguing that the […]

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Conservative MEP launches petition to ban Islamic headscarves in European Parliament Charlie Weimers says he expects broad support for his initiative, but other lawmakers slammed it as sexist and Islamophobic.

(Politico) An EU lawmaker is campaigning to ban the use of the hijab and other Islamic headscarves by people who work for the legislature, according to an email circulated among all members of the European Parliament on Tuesday. Charlie Weimers, head of […]

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Woman settles lawsuit over forced hijab removal at Mecklenburg County Jail The settlement includes policy changes and an undisclosed monetary amount. El-Ali's photograph has been removed from the jail's database.

(WCNC) A Muslim woman has reached a settlement with Mecklenburg County over a lawsuit alleging jail officials violated her religious rights by forcing her to remove her hijab for a booking photograph. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced the resolution of […]