Italy Approves School Ban on Burqas and Foreign Student Cap
Italy's cabinet adopted a decree banning burqas and niqabs in schools and capping non-Italian-speaking students at 30% per class. Parents of children with serious integration difficulties must attend free Italian-language courses or face fines up to 1,000 euros. The decree takes effect immediately but needs parliamentary approval within 60 days, and President Mattarella has expressed reservations.
The decree builds on a 2010 ministerial guideline that set a similar 30% threshold for foreign students but allowed flexibility when language skills were adequate. Education Minister Valditara noted roughly 34,000 classes currently exceed the threshold, though most would be unaffected since the cap targets recent arrivals with limited Italian proficiency rather than students born in Italy or those who attended Italian kindergartens.
Schools unable to meet the new cap can seek exemptions and additional language-support funding rather than facing immediate penalties. The decree requires parliamentary ratification within 60 days, and President Mattarella has expressed reservations about potential barriers to education. Opposition leader Elly Schlein called the measure "a new witch hunt at the expense of children," while critics argue it distracts from staffing shortages and aging facilities.
This decree could reshape classroom dynamics across Italy, potentially affecting immigrant families' access to education and their integration trajectory. The language cap may redistribute students in ways that alter school demographics, while the burqa ban could spark debates over religious freedom and security. Parents facing fines may feel pressured, though free language courses offer support. The measure's impact will depend on parliamentary approval and implementation flexibility, with potential ripple effects on Italy's social cohesion and political discourse ahead of the 2027 election.