Belgian Court Suspends Headscarf Ban In Flanders

March 18, 2010

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Earth Times

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314761,belgian-court-suspends-headscarf-ban-in-flanders.html

A top Belgian court on Thursday suspended a ban on wearing the Islamic headscarf and other religious symbols in schools in the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders, arguing that it was not clear that the right body had imposed it. The Flanders regional education council imposed the ban on September 11, 2009, after teachers argued that some Muslim families were forcing girls to wear the headscarf against their will.

But the Council of State ordered the ban to be suspended while it pondered whether the education council had the right to impose a ban, rather than the Flemish parliament, which has legislative power in the province.