Austria To Ban Headscarves At Kindergartens And Schools

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An original translation from Die Welt:

Austria:
Sebastian Kurz announces headscarf ban for kindergartens and schools
April 04., 2018

„Veiling little children is something that should definitely have no place in our country“, said Austria’s chancellor Sebastian Kurz. With this, he wanted to prevent discrimination at a young age.

In the will of the Austria government, in the future, girls won’t be allowed to wear a headscarf in kindergarten and elementary school any longer. „Veiling little children is something that should definitely have no place in our country“, said chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Wednesday in Vienna.

It was about granting the same opportunities to all children. „And this also means that there isn’t any discrimination at a young age“, said Kurz. The new law will be titled „Child Protection Law“. „All children should have equal opportunities, girls and boys“, said Kurz.

The respective motion is to be formulated no later than the beginning of summer. To elevate the law into constitutional status, the government, conservative ÖVP and right-wing FPÖ, will have to convince one oppositional party of their plan. FPÖ-chief Heinz-Christian Strache wanted to combat „undesirable developments regarding political Islam“ with his headscarf ban for girls.

50 people charged for veiling their faces
It is unclear how many children are affected. There are no figures. „It is certainly a symbolic gesture“, said education minister Heinz Faßmann (ÖVP).

In Austria, a general ban on veiling the face came into effect half a year ago. The anti-face-curtaining-law means that in public spaces and in public buildings, clothes or other items shall not disguise or veil „the facial features in such way that they aren’t recognizable anymore“. Dressing up in the context of halloween is not affected by this law, the decree specifies.

Since then, approximately 50 people have been charged. The law specifically aims at veiling with a burqa or a niqab, and it is meant to promote integration of Muslims. According to the law, it is punishable with up to 150 Euros, if the face is made invisible between chin and brows.

But look how happy they are! – Seen on Etsy.

8 Replies to “Austria To Ban Headscarves At Kindergartens And Schools”

  1. This article is misleading. Are face veils being banned or the lesser head scarf?

    • Both:

      – Face veils have already been banned six months ago. 50 women have been charged since with violating the ban. It is called “anti-face-curtaining-law”, and worded: clothes or items that hide the face between chin and brow are prohibited. Wearing a head scarf or even a niqab that leaves the face visible is legal by this law.

      – However, headscarves on girls (anything wrapped around the head of a girl; no matter how much of the face it shows) WILL be banned, it will be called “child protection law”, and they are hoping to get it underway before summer.

      • Kudos for Austria for doing this, I wish we could do the same in Australia. Even if such legislation was passed (very unlikely) it would be challenged in the High Court for violating the Section 116 of the Australian constitution.

        “The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth.”

        • It seems, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. What you describe about the Australian constitution sounds very similar to the problem in Germany. The German constitution guarantees “Religionsfreiheit”, freedom of religion; and people think this “freedom” means you are free to do whatever you please, and that your right to do so overrides any restrictions that other laws, and other people’s rights, may pose.

          I regularly see girls here, as little as four years old, completely tucked away in floor length shapeless bags, not even legs or arms showing, just their little faces peeking out. They can hardly move in these things. It breaks my heart; I think their childhoods are stolen from them.

        • That is similar to what the US Constitution has, the original meaning was that the US Government couldn’t designate an official religion (one Church, (type of Christianity)) the left in the US has twisted this so out of shape it is being used to punish Christian Churches that say anything controversial.

          • As far as I know, that was the original intent in Germany, too: that the local ruler could not impose a certain religion upon the people.

  2. That t-shirt is truly evil, something Satan would invent. Therefore; burn it I say 🙂