The thing with symbols is that they don't have have objective meanings. Their meanings are entirely a matter of interpretation and they're incredibly fluid.
Necklaces can also be symbols of oppression. Chains, in general are far more commonly used as symbols of oppression than any article of clothing. There's the obvious association with collars that are used to control slaves and livestock. There is also slavery symbolism associated with ankle and wrist bracelets, largely due to their similarity to shackles.
The ultimate test is what the individual thinks of it. If we're forbidding a girl from wearing some article of clothing that she wants to wear, we're the oppressors. If we're truly worried about some situation where parents are forcing their children to wear some clothing a more appropriate response would be to either ban all religious clothing or to adopt a policy of clothing choice being a protected privacy matter and barring schools from discussing a student's clothing choices with their parents.
From the evidence I've seen, this policy is less about protecting the rights of girls and more about using that as a rationalization to marginalize Muslims.
The thing with symbols is that they don't have have objective meanings. Their meanings are entirely a matter of interpretation and they're incredibly fluid.
Necklaces can also be symbols of oppression. Chains, in general are far more commonly used as symbols of oppression than any article of clothing. There's the obvious association with collars that are used to control slaves and livestock. There is also slavery symbolism associated with ankle and wrist bracelets, largely due to their similarity to shackles.
The ultimate test is what the individual thinks of it. If we're forbidding a girl from wearing some article of clothing that she wants to wear, we're the oppressors. If we're truly worried about some situation where parents are forcing their children to wear some clothing a more appropriate response would be to either ban all religious clothing or to adopt a policy of clothing choice being a protected privacy matter and barring schools from discussing a student's clothing choices with their parents.
From the evidence I've seen, this policy is less about protecting the rights of girls and more about using that as a rationalization to marginalize Muslims.