The Central Council of Muslims in Germany criticised a decision by Baden-Wuerttemberg state authorities not to employ a teacher because she wore a Muslim head scarf in school.

The Council said the ban on Fereshta Ludin, 25, a German of Afghan descent, was tantamount to a ban on all practising Muslim women from teaching in Germany and a serious case of religious discrimination. ..

"In a public school a teacher must serve as an example and representative of (the State's) values and standards", State Education Minister Schavan said. ...

The Muslim Council said Baden Wuerttemberg authorities had missed an opportunity to set an example of tolerance. Rules on permissible attire for men and women are an essential part of Islamic teachings, it said.

Education and Research Minister Juergen Ruettgers defended the state's decision, saying Muslim head scarves were a religious expression that could not be reconciled with the German constitution's principles of tolerance.

'Our nation is neutral in its world view. That is precisely why we need religious education and religious ties," Ruettgers said in a statement.

"A democratic nation must expect that education in our schools communicates the norms that are indispensable for a successful integration in our society.