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Which religious sign can a pupil wear in a public school?
Model-written, not yet read by a native reader.
Correct answer: A discreet religious sign. The law allows discreet religious signs. It forbids those that show a religion at once, such as the Islamic headscarf, the kippa or a very large cross. The rule is the same for all religions.
Sources: Sheet “Circulaire du 18 mai 2004 sur la mise en oeuvre de la loi du 15 mars 2004 (BO n° 21 du 27 mai 2004)” (French), read on 15 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
- ✓ A discreet religious signUn signe religieux discretCorrect answer. The law allows discreet religious signs. It forbids those that show a religion at once, such as the Islamic headscarf, the kippa or a very large cross. The rule is the same for all religions.
- ✗ The Islamic headscarfLe voile islamiqueThe Islamic headscarf is a visible sign: the law forbids it in public schools.
- ✗ The kippaLa kippaThe kippa is a visible sign: the law forbids it in public schools.
- ✗ A very large crossUne croix de très grande tailleA cross of manifestly excessive size is forbidden.
What the source says
« La loi ne remet pas en cause le droit des élèves de porter des signes religieux discrets. »
Sentence copied word for word from the source, in French, read on 15 October 2026.
How it reads on exam day
The exam is in French, so this is the question you will see: « Quel signe religieux un élève peut-il porter dans une école publique ? ». Learn the English idea above and the French words in the options.
This question comes from the list of the naturalisation version of the exam (PDF relayed by Le Français des affaires, read on 14 October 2026; the Ministry's own page for this list did not answer). The list's wording: “Quel symbole religieux peut être porté dans une école publique dans le respect de la laïcité ?”.
Where the Ministry explains it
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