France’s Macron supports experimenting with uniforms in some schools amid debate over ban on robes

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron is opening the door to experimenting in some public schools with uniforms or a dress code. His comment came as a new rule took effect Monday that bans public school students from wearing long robes used mainly by Muslims. Macron says he favors experimenting with uniforms. He says another experimental option could be for children to wear similar outfits, such as “a pair of jeans, a T-shirt and a jacket.” He says authorities will be “intractable” in enforcing the new rule about long robes, which were seen as a challenge to France’s secularist values. A 2004 law already prohibited students from wearing Muslim headscarves, large Christian crosses, Jewish kippas and the large turbans worn by Sikhs.