Headscarves in schools: On or off? Policies vary
Measures to force female students to wear — or not wear — the hijab seem to be erratic between state schools in Gaza and the West Bank.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Nathalie, who refused to give out her full name, is getting ready to go to school in Gaza City. She puts on a blouse and a denim skirt, loads the books in her backpack and, most importantly before stepping out of the door, braids her hair as Christian girls are directed to do by the headmistress of the Ahmed Shawki Secondary School for Girls.
“The first day of school, the headmistress called upon the Christian students to come forward in front of the entire morning queue. She grabbed the hair of a girl among us and started to braid it, saying that this is how we should have our hair done or she will force us to wear the hijab within a week,” Nathalie told Al-Monitor.
