Italy bans burqas in schools

Giorgia Meloni’s government has also approved a classroom cap on pupils with limited Italian The Italian government has approved a ban on burqas and niqabs in schools, along with a limit on the number of pupils with limited Italian in some classes. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the measures would improve integration and prevent the formation of “ghetto classes.”The decree adopted on Thursday prohibits face coverings that prevent identification during school activities. It covers burqas and niqabs, but leaves hijabs, which do not cover the face, unaffected. Violations can bring fines of up to €1,000.The government has also set a 30% cap in first-year classes for pupils without Italian citizenship. In primary schools, it applies to those who were not born in Italy or did not attend at least two years of preschool. In lower and upper secondary schools, it applies to those who have not attended the Italian school system for at least three years. The local authorities can grant exceptions when pupils cannot be placed elsewhere and provide additional language support.Writing on X, Meloni described the measures as “tools of common sense that do not divide, but truly help to integrate...