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.