French Official Denounces ’False Controversy’ Over Eid al-Fitr School Absences

"It’s shameful. [...] I won’t let this false controversy that we’ve seen rising for a few days take hold," Sarah El Haïry lashed out on the franceinfo set. According to her, one of the "two extremes" who want to "create trouble and fracture" the country is behind this controversy. "In our country, we have two extremes right now: one part trying to pit the French against each other and cast aspersions on a religious practice, and another part of our country trying to create a false controversy over something that is just a snapshot of the functioning of our public services at a given moment. Let’s imagine that today in France, we are filing students based on their religious practice or worse, trying to ban them, that would be serious," she explained, before asserting that it is "extremely and often useful to study the consequences of religious holidays on public services, especially at school."

SOS Racisme, which was upset by a "particularly shocking request in that it associates Muslim religious practice with a security issue," felt targeted by the remarks of the Secretary of State for Youth. Its president reacted vehemently. "Dear Élisabeth Borne, a member of your government, Sarah El Haïry, has pitted the far right and SOS Racisme against each other. Is this the new line of the government or are these remarks that you yourself consider scandalous?", asks Dominique Sopo. On Twitter, Sarah El Haïry clarified the substance of her thinking. "Let’s be clear: SOS Racisme is an association that fights against all forms of racism and therefore is not an extremist political movement! My commitment against the far right has not changed," she assures.