Zurich bans headscarves and cell phones in schools (cross-border guide)

Context

In brief

• Zurich approves veil and mobile phone ban at school with narrow votes (87-82, 92-82)
• Aargau had already approved veil ban a week earlier (78-54)
• Zurich government has 2 years to develop laws compliant with Constitution

Key facts

• What: Ban on wearing veils in public schools/kindergartens for girls and women; ban on mobile phones in mandatory education
• When: Approvals today by Zurich Grand Council; Aargau a week earlier
• Where: Canton Zurich and Canton Aargau
• Who: UDC (veil motion), UDC + UDF (mobile phone postulate), State Councils
• Votes: 87 in favor-82 against-6 abstentions (veil); 92 in favor-82 against-2 abstentions (mobile phones)

The Zurich Grand Council approved today, with a narrow margin of 87 votes against 82 and six abstentions, a controversial motion by the Union of the Center that calls for a ban on wearing veils for girls and women in all public schools and kindergartens in the canton. Before the parliamentary debate, the Zurich State Council had already indicated its readiness to accept the motion and to draw up legislation compliant with the Constitution. The government now has two years to submit to Parliament a report and a legislative proposal.

The decision comes a week after the Aargau Grand Council had already accepted a similar motion, with 78 votes in favor and 54 against, tasking the cantonal government with drawing up a ban for female students of mandatory education up to the age of 16. In Aargau, however, the State Council had opposed it, arguing that legal obstacles exist, constitutional reservations and issues related to the jurisprudence of the Federal Court.

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Operational details

Cantonal uniformity against local fragmentation

The approval of the two Zurich measures represents a significant change compared to the current fragmented situation. Today each municipality decides independently: some allow phones in breaks, others ban them completely, others still establish limitations for certain age groups. Cantonal legislation will create a uniform standard, eliminating municipal disparities and ensuring consistency throughout Zurich.

As for the veil, the Zurich decision represents a further strengthening compared to the Argovian motion: it is not limited to compulsory schooling until the age of 16, but extends the ban to all girls and women in schools and public kindergartens without specific age restrictions. This means that even high school students would be subject to the ban, a wider scope than in Aargau.

For families and students, this uniformity has advantages and disadvantages that affect the qualità della vita e del vivere in Svizzera. Regulatory certainty avoids confusion between municipalities, but at the same time reduces local flexibility and could clash with the specific needs of certain school contexts or individual situations.

The Remaining Constitutional Issues

The opposition of the Argovian State Council highlighted legal obstacles and constitutional reservations, with explicit references to the jurisprudence of the Federal Court. Although the Board of

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Key points

How Zurich Schools Will Change

If the cell phone ban were implemented, each Zurich school would need to comply with binding cantonal guidelines. School administrations would have to develop clear procedures for collecting and storing devices during school hours, communicate the new rules to parents and students, and define consequences for non-compliance. Health-related exceptions would require advance medical documentation from parents or guardians.

For the veil ban, if approved after the legislative process, school administrations would need to review internal regulations and communicate the change to affected families and students. Although the Zurich government has stated it will draft a constitutionally compliant law, the process remains complex and subject to possible legal challenges that could delay practical implementation.

Teachers and school principals will need specific training on how to implement the bans consistently, fairly, and respectfully. Schools will also need to address concrete situations: how to communicate the ban to students, how to manage initial resistance, how to handle potential conflicts with families.

What to Do Now: Parents, Students, and Teachers

For Zurich parents and students, the practical advice is straightforward: at least until the State Council presents its report (not before two years), current rules remain in effect. Each school will continue to apply its own local policies on cell phones and head coverings. The approved motions are not yet law; they represent only a mandate to the government to develop proposals.

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