The SDP supports a ban on face-covering veils in public spaces. Photo: Vesa Moilanen / Lehtikuva
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The Muslim Forum of Finland has criticised recent statements by ministers calling for restrictions on face coverings in schools, saying the issue is exaggerated and risks fuelling wider efforts to limit religious expression.
Social Security Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen (NCP) said on Tuesday that burkas and niqabs are inappropriate in Finnish schools, arguing on social media that children should be allowed to “live freely” and interact openly with others.
The comments come amid renewed political focus on headscarves and veils following the start of the school year.
Pia Jardi, Secretary General of the Muslim Forum of Finland, said the entire discussion feels disconnected from reality.
“I have never seen children wearing niqabs in Finland,” Jardi told Yle. “This seems like a manufactured debate.”
According to Jardi, the focus on burkas and niqabs could be a stepping stone toward broader restrictions on headscarves more generally.
“That’s how it started in France, first the face veils, then visible religious symbols. It looks like the same direction,” she said.
The Muslim Forum, which serves as a cooperation and dialogue platform for Muslim communities in Finland, said it agrees that children should be free to be children but rejected any restrictions on headscarves as incompatible with religious freedom.
“Of course no one should be forced to wear a headscarf,” Jardi said. “But the idea of limiting them goes against the principle of equality in Finland.”
The debate escalated last month when Finance Minister and Finns Party chair Riikka Purra called for a full ban on burkas, niqabs, and headscarves for young girls, starting with schools.
Education Minister Anders Adlercreutz (SPP) said in July that face coverings could be discussed in terms of safety and identification, but stopped short of supporting a legal ban.
Interior Minister Mari Rantanen (Finns) told Helsingin Sanomat this week that her ministry will begin preparing an assessment on banning the veil altogether. She argued that burkas and niqabs do not belong in a Western, egalitarian society and expressed hope that legislation could move forward during the current parliamentary term.
However, experts and officials point out that there is no existing law prohibiting face coverings in schools, and the issue remains marginal.
Laura Francke, a legal adviser at the Finnish National Agency for Education, said such garments are extremely rare in Finnish comprehensive schools.
“If a ban were to be introduced, it would require new legislation,” Francke said.
Current rules only allow schools to enforce dress codes for practical reasons, such as safety or hygiene. Examples include appropriate swimwear for swimming lessons or avoiding loose clothing in technical workshops.
The agency has not received any significant complaints or requests related to face coverings in schools.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
