Sign up for the editor's
weekly newsletter
- Germany edition
- Change edition:
- France |
- Norway |
- Sweden |
- Switzerland
Reader Offer
February 9, 2012
German Muslim girl can't skip swim lessons: court
Published: 7 May 08 16:34 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/national/20080507-11755.html
A Muslim girl in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia cannot skip co-ed swimming lessons because of religious prohibitions against wearing formfitting clothing, a German court ruled on Wednesday.
- What's on in Germany: February 9 - 15 (9 Feb 12)
- Rent-jumping family caught by police (9 Feb 12)
- The Local's English-language movie listings for Germany (8 Feb 12)
The 12-year-old girl's parents sued her school in the northern German city of Remscheid after the school refused to allow the girl to skip swimming class. Citing religious reasons, the parents said they did not want their daughter to participate because her body would not be covered.
The ruling means the girl must participate in swimming lessons starting next week, Sabine Ernst of the Alexander von Humboldt School told German news agency DDP. Ernst declined to state what the consequences could be if the girl declines to attend.
Her parents' attorney said the family plans to appeal and that the decision should not be considered precedent-setting.
The parents rejected an offer last year from the girl's teacher to allow her to swim in leggings and a t-shirt, saying the girl's body would still be visible through the wet clothing.
The Düsseldorf court concluded that because most of a swimming lesson takes place underwater, the girl's body would largely remain obscured even in wet clothing.
The Remscheid school said it did not have the personnel to separate boys and girls in swimming lessons. In the past the school had allowed Muslim girls to skip the lessons and take a different class instead, but a rule put in place last year explicitly requires participation by Muslim students.
DDP/The Local (news@thelocal.de)
Fark It!
Digg This
Share everywhere
Send to a friend
Printable version
Twitter ThisToday's headlines
Daimler books record €6-billion profit
German auto giant Daimler, which own Mercedes-Benz, said on Thursday they achieved record sales and profits in 2011, but warned that earnings may be flat this year. READ »
What's on in Germany: February 9 - 15
This Week's Highlights: The star-studded Berlinale film festival kicks off in Berlin, Munch goes on view in Frankfurt, and a ukelele orchestra sets up in Munich. READ »
Berlinale opens with revolutionary drama
Diane Kruger stars as Marie Antoinette in "Farewell My Queen," a lush costume drama set on the eve of the French Revolution that will open the 62nd Berlin film festival on Thursday. READ »
Rent-jumping family caught by police
An eight-person family that avoided paying rent for years by moving house every two to three weeks has finally been caught in the northern German town of Schneverdingen. READ (4 COMMENTS) »
Sick pups found in van
German police this week rescued 92 puppies from a van, after the dogs had spent 13 hours being transported across Europe without food or water. READ »
Germany signs €3 bln in deals with Kazakhstan
Germany and Kazakhstan signed agreements Wednesday worth €3 billion ($4 billion) to cooperate on raw materials, industry and technology in Berlin. READ (3 COMMENTS) »
Drunken Munich U-Bahn train driver busted
A drunken train driver for Munich’s U-Bahn metro has been relieved of his duties after being busted driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.2 percent. READ (7 COMMENTS) »
Arctic cold wreaks quirky havoc across Germany
The bitter cold is wreaking havoc across Germany in unexpected ways, with the subzero temps freezing an ice cream factory, forcing gravediggers to use jackhammers and driving penguins indoors. But Hamburg is having a party. READ (3 COMMENTS) »
More National
- 09/02 Rent-jumping family caught by police (4 comments) »
- 08/02 Germany signs €3 bln in deals with Kazakhstan (3 comments) »
- 08/02 Drunken Munich U-Bahn train driver busted (7 comments) »
- 08/02 Arctic cold wreaks quirky havoc across Germany (3 comments) »
- 07/02 Syrian spy suspects arrested in Berlin »
- 07/02 Germans jailed in UK for owning terrorist material (18 comments) »
- 06/02 Car thieves discover dead baby (5 comments) »
- 06/02 Snow to follow record deep freeze (7 comments) »
- 05/02 Socks provided key clue in neo-Nazi case (1 comment) »
- 05/02 Westerwelle hammers China, Russia over veto (6 comments) »
Highlights
See all ads | Join the Marketplace
-
COMPEXX FINANZ AG
Financial services in English: insurance, pensions, investments, mortgages -
KFZ-Sachverstaendigenbuero Detlef Buchwald
I am an unaffiliated and impartial automotive appraiser -
Greenback Expat Tax Services
US expat tax preparation services for American owned companies in Germany -
Greenback Expat Tax Services
US expat tax preparation services, specializing in Americans living in Germany -
Get Grocery
Online shop for wide range of authentic Indian food in Germany/EU -
Keith Tanner
Your British financial adviser in Berlin -
British Allsorts
Your Corner shop in Munich
Sponsored Links
- EXPATTAX - German tax advice in English language - nationwide
- Dolores - Berlin's best California-style burritos!
- Learn German in Germany at one of the largest German schools in Berlin: ESL IH Berlin – booking made easy with ESL – Sprachreisen
- Hundreds of job opportunities for foreign professionals in Germany
- Translation and English writing services
- Find the right relationship
- Your advertisement here
Jobs in Germany, in English
1294 jobs available
832 new jobs this week
161 new jobs today
- Assistant France & Greece (f/m)
- Customer Service Representative - French
- Maritime Development Manager, Service Offshore
- Technology Development Engineer GaN RF Power (f/m)
- Channel Sales Manger (m/f) - DACH Region
- Senior Controller (f/m) for the Cross Controlling team within COO Controlling
- Channel Enablement Sales Engineer
- Global Supply Chain Planner (f/m)
- Sales Specialist (m/w)
- Key Account Manager (m/w)
Blog
- Feb/07 Do you like home-made Rock’n Roll with your fries?
- Nov/25 Hop on hop off Berlin
- Nov/25 Shopping in Berlin
- Nov/25 Typical Berlin
- Nov/25 I lost my heart in Kastanienallee
Essentials
Dating
Looking for your own blonde bombshell? Or is the strong, silent type more your
style? Find a German sweetheart here.
Weather
"After clouds comes clear weather," say the Germans. But what about after that? Find out in The Local's weather
section.
Blog
German stuff that's distracting us today.
Noticeboard
Whether you want to buy, sell, hire, announce or promote something, here's the place to do it - completely free of
charge.
Discuss
Debate the news, ask for advice, make friends - or just let off steam.
Register
Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss
News from the Goethe-Institut
- The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere 2.0? – Answers from Gerhard Schulze
Does the public sphere have a different structure in the digital age than in the past? Some answers from Bamberg sociology professor Gerhard Schulze.... - Dancing is thinking – on the relationship between philosophy and dance
At first glance, dance and philosophy seem to be a contradictory pair. - More Than Just a Dream: The German Digital Library
The German Digital Library, the project of the century that is to make Germany’s cultural heritage freely accessible to everyone, is gradually taking concrete shape.... - Celebrating the Moment – Against Asceticism
Abstinence is ideologically in vogue. - Little Hollywood am Main: The LUCAS International Children’s Film Festival
LUCAS is Germany’s oldest children’s film festival.
News from Young Germany
- Weimar has the best international university in Germany
The Bauhaus University in Weimar, Thuringia, describes itself as being eager to experiment, open... - New law clears way for recognition of degrees and training earned abroad
The Upper House of the German Parliament, the Bundesrat, has approved groundbreaking legislation... - Deutsche Literatur im Netz
Wer sich im Ausland für deutsche Literatur interessierte, hatte es früher nicht immer leicht, an... - German research vessel begins Antarctic expedition
The Polarstern—a German research vessel operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and... - Science - a powerhouse of ideas
Scientific insights that can change our world are at the centre of a special scientific conference...
News from DeutschlandOnline
- Fewer animal experiments thanks to nanosensors
Countless mice, rats and rabbits die every year in the name of science – and the situation is... - German employers split over campaign to ban smoking breaks
Employers in Germany have launched a campaign to ban all smoking in the workplace, not just... - Marine Research in Kiel is heading towards new shores
Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel established On January 1, 2012 the former Leibniz... - Federal Foreign Minister Westerwelle: Laying down ambitious and binding rules for the euro
Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle issued the following statement in Berlin today (11...
Noticeboard
- 09/02 Looking for family
- 07/02 Help needed
- 06/02 Channel 4 News request - moving to Germany
- 06/02 Native Italian Speaker
- 06/02 Sport-Promotion in Berlin
- 05/02 English Lessons via Skype
Toytown Germany
- 11:58 Life in Ismaning
- 11:48 When the time comes
- 11:47 Rugby 6 Nations Predictions
- 11:37 Interesting fillings to try with Pillsbury dough
- 11:37 Do you own a pair of Crocs?
- 11:36 VAT Registration Questionnaire Received
- 11:33 Rules for filing U.S. taxes while living abroad
- 11:26 Unfair zeugnis grade in English
- 11:23 Is John Terry a racist?
- 11:21 Photo booths for passport pics
Hotel reservations in Berlin
Visiting Berlin anytime soon? Book your hotel in Berlin here.
Visiting Berlin anytime soon? Book your hotel in Berlin here.
Rental apartments in Berlin
For home-from-home holiday accommodation, search for a Berlin apartment to rent.
For home-from-home holiday accommodation, search for a Berlin apartment to rent.
Trade CFDs with InterTrader.com
Start trading shares, equities, forex, etc. No commission on equities; Low min. margins. Apply for a CFDs account now!
Start trading shares, equities, forex, etc. No commission on equities; Low min. margins. Apply for a CFDs account now!
