From schools to the Olympics, how France's staunch secularism affects religion in public life

Woman arrested in Oklahoma in connection with slaying of Bandera man now in Bandera County Jail, sheriff’s office saysPeople visit the Notre Dame de la Garde Basilica in Marseille, southern France, Friday, April 19, 2024. – Walk around multicultural metropolises like Paris or Marseille, or any small village in the French countryside, and signs of faith are everywhere. Many Muslim women wear headscarves and historical Catholic churches anchor nearly every neighborhood.

But the French version, diverging from the multiculturalism approaches next door in the United Kingdom or in the United States, allows the restriction of religious expression in public spaces that provide services to citizens. Such places should be strictly neutral, emphasizing “that which unites more than that which separates,” according to a guide written by the Education Ministry’s council on secularism.

After a surge in incidents, a 2004 law banned wearing anything that “clearly manifests religious belonging” in public schools, though not in universities. Last year,Supporters of this approach say that secularism, especially in schools but also in sports clubs, is crucial for youth to be free from pressures of proselytism and radicalization.

The Education Ministry, arguing there's a growing threat of radicalization on sports fields, recently published a booklet reminding schools that students can’t “refuse subject matters that seem to them contrary to their convictions.” It advises what to do if they present “unjustified” medical certificates to avoid swimming lessons or gym classes.

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