Jacques Chirac

Opposition politicians derided the government plan as misguided and some of President Jacques Chirac's conservative allies said they would abstain or vote against the law meant to stem growing Islamist influence among some of the country's 5 million Muslims.

France has reaped widespread criticism for the ban, which it says will keep religion out of state schools and thus promote respect for all religions.

Education Minister Luc Ferry made the surprising statement about disciplining bearded school pupils in a National Assembly legal committee hearing about the draft law on the ban due to be debated next month.

Discussing the plan to remove Islamic head scarves from state schools, he told a communist deputy who asked about a pupil with a beard: "As soon as it becomes a religious sign and the code is apparent, it would fall under this law."

Pious Muslim men wear beards in obedience to the Prophet Mohammad, who is said to have instructed them to do so.

The Japan Times Weekly: Jan. 31, 2004
(C) All rights reserved