Russia Today: Leaders of France’s 6 million Muslims have been discouraged by the new ‘secularism charter’ designed to toughen rules banning religion from schools. Critics say it’s unsuitable for modern-day France, home to Europe’s largest Muslim population.
From now on, the ‘Charter for Secularity in School’, which starts out by declaring that France “respects all faiths” and that the state is neutral in regard to them, is to be displayed in every state-funded school across the country in order to “be seen” and respected.
The 15-point statement highlights key principals of secularism, such as freedom of conscience and separation of religion and state, in a bid to ease tensions between Muslims and non-religious students.
The French Muslim community did not welcome the ‘secularism charter’, which many of them viewed as part of a bigger campaign promoting religious hatred, and an assault on Islamic values and traditions.
Categories: Europe