France debates school uniform policy amid controversy over Muslim dress ban

France banned wearing the Muslim abaya in schools, with dozens of girls sent home for refusing to remove them on the first day of classes.
President Macron defended the ban on religious symbols but suggested uniforms or a dress code could be an alternative.
The education minister proposed experimenting with uniforms in select schools starting this fall.
Muslim groups filed a legal challenge against the abaya ban with France's highest court.
Debate continues around secularism, religious freedom, and discrimination regarding the school policies.