Since 1 September, Austria has banned headscarves for female pupils under 14 at state and private schools. Repeated breaches of the rule could lead to fines of €150 to €800 for parents.
Since the start of the 2026/27 school year on 1 September, female pupils in Austria under the age of 14 have been prohibited from wearing any headscarf at school that “covers the head in line with Islamic traditions.”
Teachers’ representatives say the new rule has generally been implemented calmly and respectfully. At the same time, some schools have reported conflicts and, in some cases, aggressive reactions.
The new law was already controversial before it came into force, with critics questioning whether it was compatible with freedom of religion and the principle of equality.
I mean, if my religious parents were forcing me to wear a hat for religious reasons, I’d gladly welcome that law.
That’s obviously because you have no idea how forceful religious parents operate, neither do authors of the law (or they do and it’s their goal from the beginning).
The law wouldn’t stop them from forcing you to wear a hat, the law will add fun and exiting “damn if you do damn if you don’t” part to it.