In the News:
Ban on Religious Symbols in French Schools: Girls from Muslim Families Benefit

En France : L’interdiction du voile influence la scolarité des filles (In France, the Headscarf Ban Influences Success of Muslim Girls), Luc Cédelle, L’AUT’JOURNAL, 2021-09-01.

A new book by economist and sociologist Eric Maurin, to be published in October, sheds new light on the ban on pupils wearing religious symbols in French schools. His investigation concludes that it has resulted in a spectacular, massive and lasting improvement in the school performance of young girls from Muslim families.

This result is not at all surprising. In fact, that is why we support secularism in public schools. But it is good to have quantitative measures that confirm the beneficial effects of banning religious symbols in schools.

See also:

• Trois leçons sur l’école républicaine (Three Lessons on Republican Schooling), Eric Maurin, Seuil, 2021.
• The same article also appeared in Le Monde: L’amélioration des résultats des filles après l’interdiction du voile : une « leçon sur l’école républicaine » d’Eric Maurin (Improving Girls’ Outcomes After Headscarf Ban: A “Lesson on Republican Schooling” by Eric Maurin), Luc Cédelle, Le Monde, 2021-08-28.