Refusal of care by a doctor
Sirine goes to a doctor after obtaining an appointment. Once at the office, the secretary asks her to take a seat, but when it’s her turn, the doctor refuses to examine her if she doesn’t remove her headscarf, stating that his office is secular. Sirine leaves the office wondering how she could have reacted. What […]
Sports and Religious Symbols
Sarah chose to enroll in the boxing class offered by her university, but when she showed up for the class, the sports instructor refused her entry because she was wearing a headscarf. He justified this by citing the principle of secularism. As for Ines, she was denied entry to her gym because of her headscarf. […]
The Main French Courts
The French judicial system is divided into two major independent jurisdictional orders based on the principle of dual jurisdiction: The administrative order covers disputes involving the administration (State, local authorities, public services) and is competent to handle disputes related to administrative actions (example: refusal of a building permit by the city hall). The judicial order […]
Indirect Discrimination
Malika wants to join a gym near her home, and she wears a headscarf. While inquiring, she notices that the internal regulations state: “All headgear is strictly prohibited (caps, hats, hoods, etc.)”. Since it’s not only religious headgear that is targeted, and all clients are concerned, she’s unsure if this constitutes discrimination. In reality, Malika […]
Disciplinary Procedure in Public Educational Institutions
Article R.511-13 of the Education Code states that: “I In colleges and high schools under the authority of the Minister of Education, the sanctions that can be imposed on students are as follows: 1° Warning; 2° Reprimand; 3° Accountability measure; 4° Temporary exclusion from class. During the sanction, the student is accommodated in the institution. […]
Full-coverage swimsuit | “Burkini”
Assia is going on vacation to the south of France with her children. Having booked a rental near the beach, she would like to go swimming there with her children but fears that wearing a full-coverage swimsuit might be prohibited. She also wonders if the same applies to the leisure center she will visit afterwards. […]
Home Education
Home education (IEF), sometimes called ‘homeschooling’, is an educational option that has long been available to families. The right to education is affirmed by numerous international, constitutional, and legislative texts (thirteenth paragraph of the Preamble to the 1946 Constitution and Article 2 of the Additional Protocol to the European Convention for the Protection of Human […]
Professional Internships in a School Setting
Aliyah is enrolled in a public middle school and will have to complete a mandatory internship to discover the working world. She wants to know if she can keep her headscarf. What Does the Law Say? The Law No. 2004-228 of March 15, 2004, applying the principle of secularism, framing the wearing of signs or […]
Testing
What is testing? Situation testing or discrimination testing, also called testing, is an investigative method aimed at detecting discrimination that dates back to 1939 in France. It consists of comparing the results obtained by two types of candidates who are identical in every way except for one criterion that we want to test (for example, […]
IFSI (Nursing Training Institute) and Religious Symbols
During her enrollment in a nursing training institute (IFSI), Houyam is informed that her admission is conditional on removing her headscarf within the institute, during theoretical training and practical work, in application of the principle of secularism. What does the law say? Religious freedom is a principle enshrined in French constitutional law as well as […]