The Austrian Parliament has decided to ban headscarves from elementary schools. The decision, which was enforced with the votes of the conservative ÖVP and the right-wing FPÖ, will in future prohibit "the wearing of ideological or religious clothing with which the head is concealed".
Excluded are associations for medical reasons or headgear as protection against rain or snow. The Jewish kippah, for example, is allowed, since the prohibition refers to garments "which cover all the hair of the head or much of it". It can be assumed that there will be complaints against the law before the Constitutional Court.
The initiative of the right-wing conservative government in Austria, North Rhine-Westphalia also picked up the discussion and announced to consider a headscarf ban for girls under 14 years. Children of this age were religiously immature, was the reasoning. The headscarf forces them into prefabricated gender roles.
SPIEGEL ONLINE had asked Muslim living people what they think of a corresponding ban. You can read the answers here.