The French hijab ban (2004) refers to a law passed by the French Parliament in 2004 that banned "conspicuous signs" of religious affiliation in public schools. The ban included not only Muslim hijabs and headscarves but also large crosses, skullcaps, and symbols from other religious traditions and communities. Nevertheless, the context of the ban was an ongoing debate over clothing worn by Muslim schoolgirls dating to the late 1980s.

QUESTION: Does the even-handed scope of the ban reflect genuine secularism or a targeted restriction aimed at Muslim dress?

Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Intro…, loc. 611