Religious beards may now be banned

in French schools, says Education Minister Luc Ferry (thanks to Hit & Run for the pointer):

Discussing the plan to remove Islamic headscarves from state schools, he told a communist deputy who asked about a pupil with a beard, “As soon as it becomes a religious sign and the code is apparent, it would fall under this law.” . . .

Sikhs — of whom there are over 5,000 in the Paris area — also wear beards because they do not cut their hair. Ferry said they might still be able to wear discreet turbans to school but did not mention their facial hair.

Seems like a textbook case of religious persecution.