Leila a student in grade 12 in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, has only a couple of meters to go before arriving at her school. Her 16 year old friend Miriam wearing a dark grey hijab arrived at the door of Raymond-Queneau high school in Villeneuve-d’Ascq in the suburb of Lille.

A few minutes earlier, a new student in grade 10 told her senior that despite the new law she would enter the school with her hijab. However, under the vigilant look of the director of the school standing at the entrance and in front of the cameras, quietly Miriam took off her hijab and put it in her bag until the end of the school day.

At her arrival Leila was assaulted by a horde of microphones tracking her every word and move,“I did not commit any wrong doing, leave me alone,” she said.

Yesterday she was an ordinary young girl one among 52 wearing the hijab, Leila is disappointed and no longer understands, “It hurts to come to school. I am disappointed,” she explains while taking her distance from the cameras. “I have been attending this school for the past three years; a school known in the area for its tolerance concerning the hijab. To my knowledge the hijab has never caused any problem apart from some worries when some girls refused to attend sport.”

“I consider wearing the hijab an act of belief. without it I feel uncomfortable. It is not optional. Islam requires it. If need be I would have worn the bandana, but it is also no longer permitted in school including the capuchin and the bonnet.”

After the passing of the new law, the young girl was left with few options; to cover the head with the bandana, study via correspondence courses or register in Averroes school in Lille the only private Muslim school in France. None of the options was convenient so she decided to stay at Villeneuve-d’Ascq: “I started in this school I might as well finish here. I had no problem with the teaching staff. I failed my baccalaureate once. I need to be left in peace.”

According to Leila, she was not influenced by the taking of the two French journalist’s hostage in Iraq. “This sad situation may influence some girls but not me. I am ashamed to hear that some fanatics take hostages or kill in the name of Islam. For me their demand does not coincide with mine. This is not the way to change the law.” Trying to hold back her tears she said: “It may sound strange but I feel I am trapped. I can not hide from the eyes following me around.”

Reserved as she is, she replied with a newly acquired firmness, “If I come tomorrow without my hijab, it’s because I want to study.” Now that the tension of the first day in school has elapsed, the young girl went to catch the metro while hiding her tears from the cameras and microphones.

As far as Aicha and Nuriye are concerned, taking off the hijab is impossible, and therefore they are afraid to be expelled from school, and be forced to pursue their studies at home.

Aicha 20 and Nuriye 13 are both wearing the hijab. They dread going to school, because they are not ready to take off their veil even in class.

Aicha is attending a technical school in Strasbourg seeking a diploma in the area of dress making. Nuriye is suppose to enter grade 7 in the college of Jean-Lurcat d’Angers.

When asked, Aicha said, “I am ready to wear a bandana. Anything that will cover my hair.” Nuriye on the other hand said, “She will tie her scarf around her neck.”

Moreover, when asked how she would react if forced to take off her hijab, the young adolescent said timidly, “Maybe I will cry, but I will not take it off. We are four sisters sharing the same bedroom, I will not be able to study. It is too noisy.”

Last year Aicha followed her studies without worries. “ I have been wearing my scarf since grade 9. Last year there were several dozen girls wearing the veil without any problems.” This continued until the new law was passed in May. Aicha was then summoned by the school counselor and the principal to inform her that starting next school year, the hijab would not be allowed. I suggested wearing the bandana instead but they did not seem to agree. I am worried.

In 2003, the first day of school for Nuriye in Jean-Lurcat’s College was not easy; she had to spend the whole day in the library because she was wearing the hijab. The same day her father made a complaint at the police headquarters for depriving his daughter of an education and alerted the press.

As the result of a meeting with the teaching staff, the principal accepted the girl the following day in class, submitting to the November 1989 ruling of the national council of education, permitting at the time the wearing of hijab if it is not accompanied by proselyting or provocation.