Ingush MPs offer to deprive schools of right to define pupils' dress code

The members of the Parliament of Ingushetia have supported the idea of making amendments to the law "On Education" that prohibit the educational establishments from restricting the pupils' right to wear clothes in accordance with their religion. The bill is brought amid the resonant expulsion of females natives of Dagestan and Chechnya from a college in Novocherkassk.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 11, five female students, natives of Dagestan and Chechnya, were expelled from the medical college in Novocherkassk for wearing hijabs. Ramzan Kadyrov stood up for them, after which three students were reinstated at the college, by reaching a compromise with the management, but and two students from Chechnya refused to continue their studies there.

Educational establishments are entitled to define pupils' uniforms, Timofei Shirokov, a lawyer, has explained. If the point is not about the compulsory secondary education (and the medical college provides for special education), then in such cases it is "very difficult" to challenge the administration's decision, Mr Shirokov asserts.

The session of the Ingush Parliament has unanimously supported the initiative to submit a bill to the Russian State Duma that would secure the pupils' right to wear at educational establishments the clothes that meet their nation's traditions and religion, the "Interfax-South" reports with reference to the press service of the People's Assembly (Parliament) of Ingushetia.

The Russian Federal Law "On Education" contains no direct ban on the dress code, which creates conditions for manipulating citizens' rights, Musa Pliev, a managing partner of the law firm, stated in 2021.