A fight for modesty.

Will a new law in France promote unity or intolerance? Right now, a debate rages. Last month, the French Parliament passed a law banning overt (obvious) symbols of religious faith in public schools. Such symbols include Islamic head scarves, Jewish skullcaps, and large Christian crucifixes.

Many people are upset about the law--in particular many of the country's 5 million Muslims, who believe it is directed at them.

The debate has divided France since 1989, when two Muslim sisters were expelled from a school outside Paris for refusing to remove their hijabs, or head scarves. Other Muslim girls have since been expelled. The scarves are considered a symbol of modesty and religious duty.

To many people in France, the country's long tradition as a secular (not religious) society is at stake. They say immigrant communities should stop isolating themselves through religion.

Although the law will ban all obvious religious symbols, French politicians admitted it was aimed primarily at preventing Muslim girls from wearing head scarves to school. According to these officials, the desire to wear head scarves signaled the beginning of increasingly "extremist" demands, such as a call for segregated male and female classrooms.

The U.S. State Department criticized the law as an unnecessary restriction on religious freedom. Do you agree? Of do you think the law will lead to greater unity in France?

OBJECTIVES

Students should understand

* France is trying to preserve its distinctively secular society by passing a law that bans overt religious symbols in public schools.

* Astronomers announced last month the discovery of a "planetoid" located beyond Pluto.

CRITICAL THINKING

COMPREHENSION: What is the religious significance of hijabs (head scarves) for Muslims? (Muslim women wear the head scarves as a symbol of modesty and religious duty.)

NOTING DETAILS: Why don't some astronomers consider Pluto and the recently discovered Sedna to be actual planets? (According to some astronomers, Pluto and Sedna are too small to be considered planets.)

ACTIVITY

PERSONAL STYLE: Discuss with students whether cultural or religious influences determine how they dress.

NEWS: IRAQ'S NEW CONSTITUTION; A FIGHT FOR MODESTY; FAR OUT, PAGES 4-5

Decide whether each sentence is true, false, or an opinion.

-- 1. Iraq's new constitution empowers Islamic clerics with absolute authority over all domestic matters.

-- 2. A new law in France that bans overt religious symbols in public schools will promote national unity.

-- 3. The discovery of Sedna is the most exciting scientific achievement ever.

-- 4. Iraq's new constitution will be in effect only until a permanent constitution is created.

-- 5. French politicians admit that the new law banning religious symbols was aimed primarily at Christian students.