France’s schools are once again under shock. The principal of Maurice Ravel high school in eastern Paris resigned from his position following online threats subsequent to a confrontation with a student who refused to remove her hijabs while on school grounds, as required by the law.
The French have read this script before. In 2020, a young Chechen individual tragically took the life of the teacher Samuel Paty after the former had shared a cartoon of Muhammad during a discussion on freedom of speech. Previously, one of his students provided a highly provocative version of events to her parents, who then informed their neighbours, fellow believers, and local provocateurs. They labelled Paty an “Islamophobe,” putting a target on his back. The young Chechen came across the controversy and decided to take the matter into his own hands.
