France has launched a “secularism charter” for State schools which claims to promote “total respect for freedom  of conscience” but forbids the wearing of religious symbols and garb in schools and bans pupils from boycotting classes for religious or political reasons.  

The charter is the Government’s latest bid to enforce the official policy of imposing secularism more vigorously.

It emphasises laïcité’s ban on wearing religious symbols, proselytising and refusing on religious grounds to join in activities such as gym class or participate in classes in which teachers discuss subjects such as the Holocaust or evolution, the Daily Telegraph reports.

“La laïcité” – French for secularism – commands massive public support in France although there is disagreement over exactly what the term means.

The new charter, which lists 15 secular principles, has already come in for criticism from some Muslim officials who claim it is a veiled attack on Islam.

Unveiling the document at a special ceremony at a school near Paris, Vincent Peillon, the education minister, said: “Nobody can say that due to my opinions I’m not going to this or that class or sport. The Republic recognises equality between girls and boys. There is separation of the private and public sphere.”

Arising from France’s 1905 law on secularism and the separation of church and state, the document reminds teacher and pupils of a number of broad ‘Republican’ principles.

Article 9 states: “Secularism implies the rejection of all violence and all discrimination, guarantees equality between girls and boys, and is based on a culture of respect and understanding of the other.”

The charter guarantees the “freedom of expression of ones’ convictions” but expects “strict neutrality” from teachers. “They must not show their political or religious convictions in the exercise of their duties.”  

Article 12 states: “Lessons are secular … No student can invoke their political or religious convictions, in order to dispute a teacher’s right to address a question on the syllabus.”

The charter reaffirms France’s 2004 law banning pupils in state schools from wearing any “ostentatious religious symbols”.

“Nobody can cite their religious appearance to refuse to obey rules applicable in our schools,” states Article 13.

This article was criticised by several Muslim leaders. Dalil Boubakeur, new president of the French Council for the Muslim Faith, said: “We can very well see who (this charter) is addressing.

“I fear, as was the case in the 2004 law, seeing Muslims of France stigmatised as a whole and that this ban (on religious symbols) will be perceived as too brutal,” he told BFM TV.