Dispute over the installation of a Christmas tree at the Sada secondary school in Mayotte. As reported by the Journal de Mayotte, some pupils were upset that a Christmas tree had been placed in the entrance area of the school. The headmaster, however, keeps insisting that the tree is first and foremost a ” commercialised ” symbol and has no religious significance. This is his reaction to the accusations of some pupils who compared the erection of the tree to wearing a headscarf.
One student interviewed did not hesitate to say: “I am shocked”, the same goes for the ban on wearing headscarves at school.One student interviewed did not hesitate to say: “I am shocked”, the same goes for the ban on wearing headscarves at school. According to journalists, many girls nevertheless wear scarves or shawls covering their ears at school. For the interviewee, however, the issue is not controversial: “Some wear veils, some wear scarves, some show their hair, but everyone respects each other”, she said, stressing that ” the students need to be educated”. She then asks: “Why should the headscarf be banned in school?”.
This polemic led to a debate in the school’s auditorium and the headmaster did not hesitate to recall that “freedom stops when it interferes with the freedom of others”. He added that wearing a headscarf makes it possible to be ” identified because of one’s affiliation to a religion”, which would thus be ” contrary to living together”. In response to the girl’s question, a history teacher also replied: ” proselytising can be active, but it can also be passive”, reminding in passing that everyone lived in a ” state governed by the rule of law” and that everyone had accepted the ” law and the rules”.The Christmas tree was decorated with garlands to give a boost to the area ” where there is actually not much happening”, as some criticised.
The headmaster recalled that he would approve initiatives on the Muslim Eid festival as long as there were no “religious texts” on it. This was not convincing enough for an upper school student for whom the Christmas tree and Christmas are “part of the Christian religion”. The headmaster again warned against “passive proselytising” as the young man was applauded by his classmates. The two-hour debate also shed light on the freedom granted in grammar schools in Île-de-France compared to the metropolis. Starting with the accepted items of clothing with Muslim adornments and ending with festivities such as Eid or Maoulid, which are considered holidays in Mayotte.