Originally Posted by hatedbythemail

thanks for sucgh a detailed post. i still struggle with this though. accepting your argument re the cross and the headscarf (and its reiteration by macca) as not being strictly analgous i still dont understand why the opposition as such to the headscarf. yes it is not the crescent (or cross) but it is (or isn't depending on where you stand) an article of faith; it is a way of demonstrating allegiance with and adherence to islam (or not ;-) ) in that way the two symbolic devices - the logo with the cross and the headscarf - are performing very similar functions. im not sure also that the headscarf is simply a personal moral position, as strands of islam rather than just individuals seem to interpret the need for the covering of the head/face. besides having faith is a personal moral position in itself i suppose. and a school badge may not in itself provide an indication of personal morality, but it does promote a school's theological position which may steretypically be asumed to be shared by the pupil and/or his parents (though in reality some peoole have little or no choice which school their kid atends). im sure that if a pupil wore a uniform bearing the crescent most here would asume the child was muslim.