Ban On School Girls Wearing Hijabs In Russian Caucasus Region Stirs Controversy

The New York Times yesterday reported on the controversy that has been set loose in Stavropol, a region in Russia at the edge of the Caucasus mountain range, after authorities in the far eastern part of the region have banned girls from wearing hijabs in public schools. According to the Times, while Stavropol is 81% ethnic Russian, conservative Muslim Dagestanis have been moving into the region, though only a few girls in a few villages actually wore hijabs to school. The Times continues:

Nevertheless, with conservative, pro-church sentiment surging in Russia, national news broadcasts highlighted the Stavropol story, showing an administrator guiding a child in a hijab back onto the school bus and sending her home.

The ban is being challenged in court, with a first hearing scheduled for tomorrow.