Last week, Flora Rose screened “They Call me Muslim.”  One of the main controversies the documentary investigated was the effect of France’s legislature that banned wearing the hijab in public schools.  One of the first things that came to my mind is what if the hijab, instead of being a piece of cloth draped around the  head, was a bowler hat.  Then, students in French public schools would be banned from wearing the bowler hat.  I realize that the two hats have their own histories and that the hijab often displays a level of piety in the Islamic religion, but I can’t help but view the physical construction of any article of clothing as being at least a little arbitrary.  This kind of makes the end purpose of the passed legislature also seem a little arbitrary.  The idea of a cloth being somehow wrapped around the head is also a fairly common one.  It makes me wonder if someone wearing a head covering similar to the hijab but for a different purpose, like a Spanish mantilla, would be affected by the law.  Or maybe there is someone who has no affiliation with Islam or any religion but looks outside one day and sees it’s windy and cold.  She looks through her house but can’t quickly find a hat more conventionally worn in France and needs to get to work on time.  So she grabs a scarf or other rectangular piece of cloth and wraps it around her head to keep her ears and face warm.  Is she not allowed to do that because it may look like a hijab?  If she is not allowed, how would federal enforcement even know whether or not it was for religious practice.  This hypothetical person has no affiliation with Islam, yet if she told law enforcement that, there’s not really a great way to prove whether she’s telling the truth or not.  I personally think wearing a hijab doesn’t directly affect others in a negative way and should therefore be allowed in public schools.  Even putting myself on the side of French legislation, though, I can’t think of a good way logistically to enforce the law without having to make some judgements about religious affiliation without substantial evidence.