Sikhs fear France may now shut school doors


BOBIGNY, FRANCE, JUNE 22, 2004
AP

The Sikh temple is abloom with colors as rich as the symbols of the faith - royal blue, burnt red, gold as bright as the midday sun.


But these days, many Sikhs worry that the world they embrace may reject their children and, come September, close the school door on boys wearing turbans to cover their unshorn hair.

Two months before the start of the new academic year, it remains unclear whether Sikh turbans, considered articles of faith, will be forbidden by a new law banning religious symbols in public schools.

To critics, the confusion over where the Sikhs fit into the new law reflects its folly. But the legislation has support in a France rattled by a potential challenge to its culture, and it appears headed for implementation.