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Can a child refuse to go to school for a religious reason?
Model-written, not yet read by a native reader.
Correct answer: No, religion does not allow refusing school rules. No. Nobody can refuse to follow school rules because of their religion. A pupil also cannot refuse a lesson in the programme for a religious reason. Source: the Ministry of the Interior sheet “La laïcité à l'école (1/2)” (in French).
Sources: Sheet “La laïcité à l'école (1/2)” (French), read on 21 October 2026. Answer written by Hexaciv from this source. Hexaciv is an independent preparation tool. It is not an official website, is not linked to any government body and does not give legal advice. The authoritative source is the Ministry of the Interior's, cited on this page.
The four choices and why
- ✗ Yes, if the parents ask the schoolOui, si les parents le demandent à l'écoleParents cannot refuse school rules for a religious reason.
- ✗ Yes, for a lesson that presents a religion other than their ownOui, pour un cours qui présente une autre religion que la sienneNo pupil can use their religion to refuse a lesson in the programme.
- ✓ No, religion does not allow refusing school rulesNon, la religion ne permet pas de refuser les règles de l'écoleCorrect answer. No. Nobody can refuse to follow school rules because of their religion. A pupil also cannot refuse a lesson in the programme for a religious reason.
- ✗ Yes, but only in public primary schoolOui, mais seulement dans l'école primaire publiqueThe rule applies across the whole Republic's school system, not only in primary school.
What the source says
« Nul ne peut se prévaloir de son appartenance religieuse pour refuser de se conformer aux règles applicables dans l’École de la République. »
Sentence copied word for word from the source, in French, read on 21 October 2026.
How it reads on exam day
The exam is in French, so this is the question you will see: « Un enfant peut-il refuser d'aller à l'école pour une raison religieuse ? ». Learn the English idea above and the French words in the options.
This question is on the official list for the multi-year residence card (CSP). The Ministry's wording: “Un enfant peut-il refuser d’aller à l’école pour une raison religieuse ?”.
Where the Ministry explains it
Sheet “La laïcité à l'école (1/2)” (French).
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