Utrecht: Headscarf inspection with ruler
The Dutch Labor party (PvdA) says that the headscarf policy in the Gerrit Rietveld College, a secondary-school in Utrecht, is too strict. The Party turned to the Education Alderman after students complained they were inspected with a ruler.
In June the school introduced dress regulations, one of which says that headscarves are permitted, but should leave 90% of the face visible.
The students say that the atmosphere in the school is very pressured due to the strict inspections. PvdA councillor Gadiza Bouazani says that measuring the headscarf with a ruler is going too far, and that they understand the agitation of the students and parents.
Bouazani and classmates say that one student was banished from class since she refused to move her headscarf. Rector Tjeerd Talsma told AD that the student left the school for her own reasons, since she didn't want to participate in class. The school is helping her find another school. Talsma doesn't understand the agitation. Many other secondary schools ban headscarves. The school is simply going by the norm for passport photos.
Source: Telegraaf (Dutch)
