Comment & Debate
“Turkey: Headscarf Ban Stifles Academic Freedom”. Human Rights Watch. June 29th, 2005 – “In the name of secularism, the Turkish government imposes the headscarf ban as a barrier to the perceived threat: the encroachment of Islam into the political field. In fact, the protection of religious freedom is fully consistent with secularism in state institutions. Accommodating different forms of religious headgear does not suggest that state authorities endorse any particular religion and does not require additional state resources.”
Christina Duval. “Against the ban, for secular education”. Workers Power. February 2004 – “Rumy correctly emphasises the centrality of secularism for socialists. However, he interpretes the secular call to remove the influence of religion from education in a way which is at odds with the socialist support for freedom of religious expression. Secular education involves the removal of religious symbols from school buildings and the removal of religious indoctrination from the school curriculum. The school, as an institution, must not propagate any religion whatsoever. This does not mean that as individuals, school students should not be allowed to express their religious faith. To do so is to deny their right to religious expression.”