German Court Upholds Ban On Head Scarves

A court on Monday upheld a ban on Muslim teachers wearing head scarves in the schools of a German state under a law that says teachers’ attire must be in line with “western Christian” values.

A Berlin-based Islamic association had complained about the law, which authorities in the conservative-run state of Bavaria have used to ban head scarves while allowing Roman Catholic nuns to continue to wear their head-covering habits in schools.

The Bavarian Constitutional Court ruled on Monday that the application of the law in the state neither violated religious freedom nor was discriminatory.

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Judge Karl Huber insisted the Bavarian law did not favor the Christian faith. But because teachers must transmit the values of the constitution, the religious feelings of students and parents must be considered, the court said.