“Tensions Arise in Marseille High School Over Dress Code Enforcement”

In a Mediapart survey students and supervisors of the Victor Hugo high school in Marseille denounced the “relentlessness” of the management towards young girls who would have worn clothing contrary to the latest ministerial instructions on conspicuous religious symbols. The young girls targeted were summoned on different occasions for outfits considered non-compliant, including for wearing a dress that “was long but it was not an abaya (traditional female clothing in Muslim countries worn over the others)”, reports one of them. They also recount remarks that they consider “stereotypical and racist”, some of which have been recorded.

This climate of tension was accompanied by a “request from management to expressly monitor the wearing of the veil. It’s targeted” explains to 20 Minutes Emmanuel Roux, Education Assistant (AED) suspended since he started pointing out this “obsession”. A request that already existed before but which took another turn at the start of the year with the announcement by an internal email of the creation of two AED positions dedicated to this monitoring, assures Mediapart. Several supervisors have been on slow strikes since January to denounce this climate.

The management of the school has for its part filed several complaints for degradation, tags containing insults as well as threats and acts of defamation towards its principal.