Lahti considers banning face coverings in schools

A member of parliament from the Finns Party has called for a ban on face-covering clothing in schools in Lahti, southern Finland, citing student identification and safety concerns.

Mira Nieminen (Finns Party), both a national lawmaker and a Lahti city councillor, argues that school staff must be able to identify students throughout the school day to maintain a safe learning environment. She plans to submit a formal motion to the city council on the issue.

“For the school environment to be safe, students must dress in a way that allows them to be identified,” Nieminen stated. She added that while face coverings are not currently a widespread issue in Lahti, the city should establish clear guidelines in case the practice becomes more common.

The debate follows Vantaa’s decision earlier this week to ban face-covering garments—including religious veils such as the niqab and burqa, as well as balaclavas—during school hours. The city justified the move by citing psychological and social safety concerns. Turku introduced a similar policy last autumn.

Lahti education chief: Public debate “on the wrong track”
Mikko Mäkelä, Lahti’s director of education, acknowledged the need for discussion but noted that face coverings have not caused significant problems in the city’s schools. He cautioned that the debate has overly focused on religious attire, though the issue extends to other items like balaclavas, scarves, or even animal masks worn in past incidents.

“From what I understand, this is not a widespread phenomenon in Lahti,” Mäkelä said. “City-wide guidelines would only be necessary if the issue caused difficulties in multiple schools.” He emphasised that student identification is essential for both safety and academic assessment.

Helsinki is also reviewing the matter after a city councillor from the National Coalition Party proposed banning face-covering veils in its primary schools. Nieminen framed the issue as one of equality as well as security, arguing that children should be free to “be children” and that facial expressions are critical to social learning.

Vantaa implemented its ban by amending school conduct rules—a model Nieminen suggested Lahti could adopt if it moves forward with restrictions.