After 18 Years Forbidden, Teachers in Berlin Finally Allowed to Wear Hijab While Teaching

Dream - The government of Berlin, Germany has once again allowed Muslim teachers to wear hijab while teaching. This decision removes the ban on wearing hijab in schools that has been in place since 2005.

The Berlin Department of Education stated in its official letter that the use of hijab can only be prohibited for individual cases that disrupt school tranquility.

This is due to the Berlin Neutrality Act, which prohibits civil servants from wearing religious clothing and symbols.

However, several court decisions in recent years have emphasized that the ban on wearing hijab is discrimination, which contradicts the principle of religious freedom guaranteed by the constitution.

The Department of Education, Youth, and Family Senate has instructed school directors to comply with this decision.

According to Middle East Monitor, Muslim women in Germany often face discrimination, especially those who wear full-face veils.

A survey was conducted by researchers in three countries known as the European labor market, namely Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain.

The survey was conducted by presenting the CV of the same person, but with two different photos. One photo wearing hijab, the other without.

The results showed that in Germany, only 25 percent of people responded positively to the veiled candidate, while 53 percent preferred the non-veiled candidate.

Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, women wearing hijab were only responded to by 35 percent, while a higher percentage was obtained when they were not wearing hijab, with nearly 70 percent.

This proves that Muslim women face discrimination in Germany and the Netherlands when they apply for jobs, especially jobs that involve direct communication with others.

One researcher, Valentina Di Stasio, said that these results show a lack of progress over time regarding minority discrimination.

"Minority ethnic members still face levels of discrimination today that are as high as decades ago," said Stasio.

She emphasized the importance of policy-making and legislative mechanisms to monitor this issue.