France: Court Upholds Six-Month Closure of Muslim Students’ School

PARIS (International Desk): A French administrative court has upheld the six-month closure of a private school for Muslim students in the northern town of Creil.
The Amiens administrative court rejected two petitions filed by the associations running the Al-Ghazali school, which sought to suspend the Oise prefecture’s closure order and allow the school to reopen. The court said that despite ongoing construction work, the school had not provided all the necessary “safety guarantees” for students.
The closure took effect on September 30 and will last six months. The school has about 250 students across primary, middle and high school levels. The court also rejected the associations’ argument that the closure would have severe financial consequences, saying they had not established the special urgency required to suspend the order. Families have 15 days to enrol their children elsewhere.
According to the report, the school underwent safety inspections in June and September, and a safety commission reportedly flagged “irregularities” in the building used for primary classes. The prefecture issued the closure order on September 29, citing concerns over the use of certain rooms, the school’s operating arrangements and safety issues. The associations can appeal within 10 days.