As Austrian classrooms filled again this September, a new law walked in with the students: girls under 14 may no longer wear headscarves to school.
The rule, passed by Austria’s centrist coalition, bans “traditional Muslim” coverings such as hijabs and burkas in both public and private schools. Integration Minister Claudia Bauer of the conservative ÖVP called the headscarf “a sign of oppression” and said the law protects young girls from control “from the earliest childhood.”
Critics argue the measure stirs anti-Muslim sentiment and may violate the constitution. Carla Amina Baghajati of Austria’s Islamic Community (IGGÖ) said the ban “unjustifiably restricts” freedom of religion and “disproportionately affects Muslim girls.” She warned it could exclude the very children it claims to help, as reported by BBC News. The IGGÖ has promised to back legal challenges, echoing a 2020 court ruling that struck down an earlier headscarf ban for breaching religious neutrality.
Teachers must now enforce the rule through talks with students and parents. Repeated breaches could lead to child-services involvement and fines of up to €800 for guardians. Many educators say this piles pressure onto an already strained profession. Green Party lawmaker Sigi Maurer accused Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr of turning teachers into “police officers.”
The far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) says the ban stops short, demanding a full prohibition on headscarves and face coverings for all students and teachers. Chancellor Christian Stocker has called for a constitutional ban on “political Islam,” saying he does not “want to live in an Islamic state.”
Unlike France’s broader ban on conspicuous religious symbols, Austria’s law targets Muslim head coverings specifically. Baghajati called it part of a wider European trend of “symbolic measures aimed at minority groups” that draw political attention but rarely solve deeper problems.
