Belgium: Anti-discrimination body opposes the headscarf in elementary school
The Center for Equal Opportunities and the Fight against Racism (CGKR) wants to take the edge of the headscarf debate. Therefor the Center will from now speak about the 'external expression of convictions' instead of the 'external expression of religious, philosophical and political convictions'. Furthermore the Center wants a ban on the external expression of convictions in elementary schools.
The question of wearing external expression of convictions is found mainly in three essential sectors, according to the Center: employments, public services and education. CGKR is therefore launching a site (www.diversiteit.be/veruiterlijkingen) where it formulates recommendations for those three sectors.
The freedom to express one's convictions in a peaceful manner should be the starting point, says Jozef De Witter, director of CGKR. "Naturally no single freedom, even a basic one, absolute. Evantuall limits should however be carefully justified. A ban should, in other words, be an exception and not the general rule," according to De Witte.
In education the Center thinks that the current system has reached its limits. De Witte says there should be a legal arrangement, but that they want a calm debate involving everybody concerned. The individual freedom of the student should remain a fundamental principle, but it could be limited in order to deal with missionary zeal and in the name of security.
The Center wants a ban on external expression of convictions in elementary education. As for secondary education, the communities should start a process to think it over. Individual freedom should remain in higher education.
Source: HLN (Dutch)
The Center for Equal Opportunities and the Fight against Racism (CGKR) wants to take the edge of the headscarf debate. Therefor the Center will from now speak about the 'external expression of convictions' instead of the 'external expression of religious, philosophical and political convictions'. Furthermore the Center wants a ban on the external expression of convictions in elementary schools.
The question of wearing external expression of convictions is found mainly in three essential sectors, according to the Center: employments, public services and education. CGKR is therefore launching a site (www.diversiteit.be/veruiterlijkingen) where it formulates recommendations for those three sectors.
The freedom to express one's convictions in a peaceful manner should be the starting point, says Jozef De Witter, director of CGKR. "Naturally no single freedom, even a basic one, absolute. Evantuall limits should however be carefully justified. A ban should, in other words, be an exception and not the general rule," according to De Witte.
In education the Center thinks that the current system has reached its limits. De Witte says there should be a legal arrangement, but that they want a calm debate involving everybody concerned. The individual freedom of the student should remain a fundamental principle, but it could be limited in order to deal with missionary zeal and in the name of security.
The Center wants a ban on external expression of convictions in elementary education. As for secondary education, the communities should start a process to think it over. Individual freedom should remain in higher education.
Source: HLN (Dutch)
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