Quebec bill would extend religious symbols ban to school support workers, force students to uncover faces

The Quebec government has put forward legislation that would extend the province's ban on the wearing of religious symbols to support staff in schools, and prohibit students from having their faces covered.

Under Bill 94, the ban would apply to all staff and volunteers in public schools and school service centres, and not just teachers and principals, as is the case under the exisiting secularism law.

That means lunch and after-school care monitors, secretaries and volunteer librarians will all be subject to the ban on wearing religious symbols, such as a kippa or hijab. A historical clause for staff already in their position is included in the bill.

Education Minister Bernard Drainville said the legislation is an attempt to strengthen secularism in schools after reports of problems involving religion. He told reporters that schools in Quebec must respect the "values of Quebec." 

"In Quebec, we made the decision that state and the religion are separate. And today we say the public schools are separate from religion," said Drainville, a staunch advocate for secularism who drafted the bill.

The legislation would prohibit Muslim girls from wearing a full face veil. The bill's explanatory notes say students will be obliged to "have their face uncovered when they are on the premises placed at the disposal of a school, a vocational training centre or adult education centre or a private educational institution."

The same rule on face coverings would apply to parents picking up their children from school.

It wasn't immediately clear how many students and staff would be affected by these changes. Drainville said he didn't know but that it was the "principle, not just the number."

A recent report found problems maintaining a secular environment at 17 schools. The report cited one instance where a student was wearing a full face veil.

The legislation also includes a provision that would require teachers to be subjected to an annual review, and aims employees at French-language schools speak only in French with students and staff. 

The proposed law was swiftly denounced by Muslim groups and unions representing school support staff.

Shaheen Ashraf, a board member of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women who wears a headscarf herself, said it's a woman's right "to wear what she wants to wear." She said the legislation will alienate Muslim women who want to contribute to society.

"The message that is sent is, 'don't participate in my society, stay home, don't pay my taxes, don't be a good citizen, just isolate yourself,'" she said.

The Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), a Quebec-based union federation, said the new rules amount to an attack on the "fundamental rights of workers."