ABSTRACT
When addressing the veil issue in France, it has become very common to start with speaking of three girls refusing to remove their Islamic headscarves before attending classes in a Parisian suburban secondary school. Civil servants enjoy the right to freedom of conscience but the principle of laïcité prevents them from expressing their beliefs. The principle of religious – as well as political or ideological – neutrality of the state is deeply rooted in the French tradition. In the 1880s, the governing Republican Party's fight against the moral and intellectual influence of the Catholic Church mainly took place at school. Public schools are still governed by the principle of laïcité, inherited from the 'school Acts' adopted at that time. The veil is undeniably an issue in the workplace but is regulated through common law applicable to all religious practices. The main debate took place regarding childcare structures.
