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Court upholds German state's ban on teachers wearing head scarves

The Associated Press

DUESSELDORF, Germany

A court on Tuesday upheld a German state's ban on teachers wearing the Muslim head scarf in public schools, rejecting a woman's appeal against a decision not to employ her.

North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state, is one of several regions that have introduced head scarf bans for teachers in recent years.

The 28-year-old plaintiff had argued that the state's law was discriminatory and violated her religious freedom.

However, the administrative court in Duesseldorf said regional law did not allow for religious statements that might infringe on the state's neutrality toward students and parents. Presiding judge Kurt Buechel argued that wearing a head scarf does to some extent constitute an expression of religious conviction.

Authorities in Duesseldorf had refused to employ the teacher on the grounds that she was not prepared to go without a head scarf in classes.

It was not immediately clear whether the teacher, whose name was not released, would appeal.

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