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Court upholds ban on civil servants wearing head scarves in German state

The Associated Press

WIESBADEN, Germany

A court on Monday upheld a German state's ban on civil servants and public school teachers wearing head scarves at work, the country's widest-reaching legislation on the issue.

The conservative government in Hesse, a western state that includes Frankfurt, Germany's financial center, introduced the ban in 2004.

Hesse went further than the bans on head scarves in the classroom introduced by several other German states. It banned all civil servants from wearing garments that would constitute a religious or political symbol _ although Christian symbols were exempted.

A lawyer took the ban to court, arguing that it conflicted with the constitutional rights to freedom of religion and gender equality.

But the state's top court threw out the complaint. Presiding judge Guenter Paul said the legislation complied with the state constitution.

The court ruled that, since civil servants represent the state, authorities have the right to ban garments.

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