BERLIN, 10 May 2018:
A Berlin court yesterday ruled against a Muslim primary school teacher who wanted to wear her head scarf at work.
The labour court ruled the school administration’s decision – not to allow the teacher to wear a head scarf – was in conformity with the neutrality law which prohibits public employees – including teachers, police and justice officials from wearing religious symbols.
“The neutrality law does not violate the constitutional provisions,” said a press release issued by the court on its website.
The teacher was not present in court for the ruling. Her lawyer said that her client would now deliberate on whether to appeal against the ruling or not.
Although several German states ban head scarf for teachers, the country has no law banning Muslim female students from wearing head scarf in schools or universities.
The German Constitutional Court overturned a ban on head scarf for teachers in 2015, citing the importance of religious freedom.
The 16 German states handle the issue independently.
Some 4.7 million Muslims live in Germany, whose religious freedom is protected by the German Basic Law, or the federal constitution.
– Bernama