In the Stavropol Territory, schoolgirls wearing hijabs were not allowed to attend classes

Muslim students of school No. 12 in the village of Kara-Tyube in the Stavropol region were prohibited from attending classes wearing headscarves. Their parents complained to the local prosecutor's office, which is already conducting an investigation. The school management refers to the charter of the educational institution, which sets out uniform rules regarding the appearance of students, Izvestia reports.

“My daughter is in the sixth grade,” said Kara-Tyube resident Ravil Kaibaliev. “When she once again came to class in a headscarf, they simply slammed the door in front of her, saying that they would only let her in if she took off her headdress. But in our This is unacceptable to religion." Four other schoolgirls found themselves in the same situation.

According to the Neftekumsky district prosecutor Alexander Stepanov, a legal assessment of the current situation will be given within 30 days; if the director’s actions are considered illegal or infringing on the interests of children, “then appropriate measures will be taken.”

“We did not insist that they not wear a hijab at all, but suggested that they change it to headscarves while the girls are in class,” explained school director Marina Savchenko.

The Ministry of Education and Science believes that school management operates within the framework of the law: “Each school may have its own rules regarding uniforms, rules of behavior, various statutes, and so on. In many schools, such things are practiced. It all depends on the rules that the school sets, in this case, it’s a form. Of course, one can dispute the extent to which this action constitutes a ban on classes, but this is a question for the local ministry.”

Deputy Minister of Education of the Stavropol Territory Natalya Lavrova said that the charter of this school spells out the secular nature of education and approves the uniform; there is also a provision on appearance. “The point is that this form is respected. The decision was made by the state public administration body at the level of the educational institution,” she said.

In turn, the Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Pavel Astakhov said that “in this case, the school management is clearly going too far.” “There are no general requirements for the appearance of students, and a headscarf in this case is not some kind of indecent attribute,” he emphasized.

The Ombudsman cited America as an example, where wearing a hijab “does not offend anyone’s traditions and culture.” He suggested that the school management hold an open lesson in which Muslim children would tell their classmates about their religion.