Belgian province dismisses teacher over refusal to remove headscarf

The provincial government of East Flanders in Belgium dismissed a teacher who refused to comply with a ban on religious symbols in provincial schools, broadcaster VRT reported on Monday.

Hadija Amajoud, who has taught at a provincial special education school in Assenede since 2022, was wearing a headscarf when she began working at the school.

A disciplinary procedure was launched after Amajoud made clear that she did not intend to remove her headscarf while teaching.

The ACOD trade union said it intends to challenge the dismissal before the Chamber of Appeal in Brussels, saying that the case could establish an important precedent concerning religious freedom and neutrality in education.

Amajoud questioned how far an employer can go in restricting a teacher's personal freedom and described the provincial administration's interpretation of neutrality as "purely political."

"Actually, no one is neutral. Every teacher stands in front of a class with his or her own convictions," she said.

The provincial administration defended the dismissal, arguing it was required to enforce personnel regulations approved through the democratic process.

A ban on religious and political symbols has been in force in all schools operated by the province since the beginning of the current school year.

Under the regulations, teachers and students are prohibited from wearing badges, symbols or clothing that express political or religious convictions.

Six students and several organizations later challenged the measure before Belgium's Council of State, but the court ruled against the challengers in May.

The Flemish Institute for Human Rights had previously found discrimination and intimidation in Amajoud's case.