Belgian Court Suspends Ban On Islamic Headscarves

Yesterday, Belgium's Council of State suspended a ban on Islamic headscarves that had been imposed on Muslim school girls in the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders. Earth Times reports that the Flanders regional educational council imposed the ban last year after teachers complained that some parents were forcing their daughters to wear the headscarves against their will. In ruling on a challenge to the order, the Council of State said it is not clear whether the educational council had the authority to issue the ban. The Council of State referred to the Constitutional Court the question of whether action by the Flemish Parliament was required before the ban could be imposed.