Academics & Education

English-language school boards argue Quebec’s secularism law should not apply to them Lawyer for EMSB argues religious diversity is part of cultural DNA of boards

(CBC) English-language school boards argued before the Quebec Court of Appeal Wednesday they should be exempt from Quebec’s secularism law — known as Bill 21 — because religious diversity is part of the cultural heritage of English schools in Quebec. “The examples […]

Academics & Education

Muslim women most affected by Quebec’s secularism law, Court of Appeal hears School board lawyer tells court only Muslim women have lost jobs due to Bill 21

(CBC) As the court challenge of Quebec’s secularism law — commonly known as Bill 21 — continues this week before the Quebec Court of Appeal, groups contesting the law argued Tuesday Bill 21 overwhelmingly discriminates against Muslim women. The Quebec government and several civil […]

Academics & Education

Hearings on constitutionality of Quebec’s secularism law underway in Court of Appeal Opponents of law argue government's use of notwithstanding clause to protect law goes too far

(CBC) Opponents of Quebec’s secularism law — known as Bill 21 — argued before the province’s Court of Appeal Monday that the CAQ government went too far in pre-emptively invoking the constitutional notwithstanding clause in order to protect the law from court […]

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London becoming ‘safe refuge for Iranian regime proponents,’ MPs fear Parliament hears of 'substantial rumours' that families of Iran's elite are applying for UK passports to flee to British capital

(National-UAE) The UK Foreign Office has pledged to investigate claims that family members of Iran’s leaders are applying for British passports to seek refuge in London, as protests continue in their country. Iranians have taken to the streets to protest against the […]

Academics & Education

Muslim schoolchildren in France often denied food options that fit their faith Court ruling found offering alternate menu choices did not violate secularist principles, argue concerned parents in petition, saying their children often go hungry

(Anadolu) Although the subject gets little media coverage, the problem of food in French school cafeterias is a headache for many parents of Muslim students. Citing their version of secularism, some mayors have decided not to offer alternative menus in school cafeterias. […]

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EU high court upholds workplace headscarf ban The ruling marks the second time in as many years that the European Union’s top court has sided against women who want to wear an Islamic head covering at work.

(Courthouse News) Bans on head coverings are allowed in European Union workplaces as long as they apply to all employees, the bloc’s top court ruled Thursday. The European Court of Justice sided with Belgian housing organization SCRL, which refused to move forward […]

Academics & Education

McGill lecturer’s tweet calling execution of Iranian protesters ‘heartwarming’ sparks backlash McGill says it is looking into matter while petition gathers thousands of signatures online

(CBC) Red tape covered their mouths. Their hands were bound behind their backs. They were on their knees. That was the silent statement protesters wanted to make as they gathered in front of Montreal’s McGill University Thursday afternoon to demonstrate against online […]

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Court dismisses charges against police, guards over alleged forced removal of hijabs In its ruling, the Kanta-Häme District Court said it did not find the evidence given by the female asylum seekers to be reliable.

(Yle) The Kanta-Häme District Court has cleared a total of seven defendants — comprising police officers and security guards — of all charges in relation to an incident in which female asylum seekers claimed they were forced to remove their head coverings. […]

Academics & Education

Danish commission says government should ban hijab at schools A commission appointed by the Danish government has recommended a ban on young girls wearing the hijab or Muslim head scarf at schools.

(Local) A commission appointed by the Danish government has recommended a ban on young girls wearing the hijab or Muslim head scarf at schools. The commission argues that wearing the hijab marks our Danish Muslim girls as being different from other Danish […]

Academics & Education

US state Maryland gives Muslim students the legal right to wear hijab in sport The Inclusive Attire Act, which took effect earlier this month, gives legal protection to student athletes of all faiths who choose to dress modestly or wear their religious coverings while participating in sports.

(New Arab) The US state of Maryland has passed a law that will protect the rights of hijab-wearing female athletes and others with faith-related head coverings to play sports, without concerns of exclusion. The bill, called the Inclusive Attire Act, which took […]

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Marine Le Pen says French headscarf ban ‘no longer main priority’ The once key campaign proposal would now be addressed after other measures such as cutting off Islamist funding, and would reportedly not target regular headscarf wearers

(Connexion) Banning the Islamic headscarf is no longer a “major priority” for far-right presidential election candidate Marine Le Pen, a member of her team said yesterday, in a U-turn on previous campaign pledges. “Banning the headscarf” was one of Ms Le Pen’s […]

Academics & Education

CAIR urges Georgetown University to probe student complaints of Islamophobia Following multiple student reports of a professor's Islamophobic remarks in the classroom, CAIR is calling on Georgetown University to investigate.

(New Arab) The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is calling on Georgetown University Law Center to look into student claims of Islamophobia by a law professor. In a letter to the law school this week, CAIR Maryland director Zainab Chaudry wrote that they […]