I don't know enough about what makes people wear hijabs to take much of a position about them. For many years in my teaching career I would not wear a tie at school, as I have always regarded ties to be a pretty stupid and pointless garment, actually no more than quite a modern passing fad. I couldn't be forced to wear one, any more than I could be forced to get my hair cut. I'm not going to criticise anyone for what they wear as long as they are not actually flaunting their bare bottoms in front of children or something like that. I do think that children should at least be able to see their teachers' faces, but that's only my opinion. A crucifix necklace is not the same thing at all. It is non-functional as an item of clothing and it is entirely optional. It is a declaration of a particular kind of partisanship. Perhaps hijabs don't quite fall into that category. In 1977 we had to endure the Queen's silver jubilee, and I bought a large badge that said "Stuff the Jubilee" on it in large letters, a declaration of another kind of partisanship. Do you think I should have worn it in front of my class of thirteen-year-olds? So what's the difference? I think that I have a right not to wear a tie and that a woman has the right to wear a hijab, and in neither case should there be pressure. I don't think it's right to flaunt religion in the faces of hospital patients and I don't think I had the right to wear that badge in my classroom.