Leuven (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): The Leuven Catholic schools in the Dile community have decided to allow religious headgear like hijabs, aligning with their identity as “dialogue schools” focused on inclusivity and respect for diverse cultures and religions.
The Leuven Catholic schools in the Dile school community, which includes five schools, have decided to change their policy on wearing religious headgear like hijabs to promote inclusivity and embrace diversity. Toon Quaghebeur, the chairman of the Dile school community, explained that this decision was made independently by the schools in response to changing societal attitudes. They consulted with parents, teachers, and students to gather their opinions, and the discussions showed a strong willingness among the community to support a more open approach to religious expression.
How will the Leuven Catholic schools’ new policy on religious headgear impact their identity as “dialogue schools”?
The policy change aligns with the schools’ identity as “dialogue schools,” which focus on open communication, respect for different views, and embracing diverse cultures and religions. Allowing religious headgear is seen as a way to create a more welcoming atmosphere for all students, reflecting a growing desire in society for inclusivity and respect for individual choices. This move toward inclusivity has been positively received, with the policy change viewed as a natural step forward in the community’s efforts to foster a respectful and open school environment.
The rules for wearing religious headgear are different for each school. Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, all staff and interns can wear headgear from recognized religions in Belgium during school activities, whether inside or outside the classroom. Quaghebeur thinks this won’t affect how well they do their jobs. At Stroom and Sint-Pieterscollege, the same rule applies to all students. But at Paridaensinstituut and Heilige-Drievuldigheidscollege, only third-grade students can wear religious headgear during school activities. Quaghebeur mentions that this mostly relates to Muslim headscarves for girls and women, but other religious headgear is also allowed. He believes this won’t interfere with neutrality and isn’t too worried about any arguments with students, teachers, or parents.
He thinks there won’t be many problems because our society is more mixed now, and showing someone’s religion shouldn’t be an issue. But he wants to see how people respond, as this change only affects a few students and teachers. On the other side, Theo Francken, a local politician, feels this is giving in to Islamism and putting pressure on Muslim girls. He says some girls choose to wear a headscarf, but not all of them want to, and schools should protect those who are weak and stay neutral.
