German hospital denies internship to teenage girl for wearing headscarf

BY|TRT

“I was speechless at the moment and didn’t know what to say after this racist statement. (…) I came back home with tears in my eyes,” says the 14-year-old, who did not disclose her name, after rejection.

A hospital in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia has denied an internship to a 14-year-old girl for wearing a headscarf.

At the request of TRT Deutsch, the Evangelical Hospital Society in Herne city managed by Castrop-Rauxel company wrote on Thursday that the headscarf “is not compatible with the duty of neutrality and loyalty demanded in our hospitals.” 

“Wearing a headscarf on duty and during an internship” is not permitted, the hospital replied in the statement. The society defines itself publicly as a “Christian house.”

Came back home “with tears in my eyes”

The student had told TRT Deutsch that she came to know about the employment opportunity at the Evangelical Hospital Herne through an internship announcement at her school. 

After an on-site consultation and a later telephone call to the hospital, she was “warmly” invited to an interview.

“The first question I was asked during the interview was whether I ‘really’ intended to do my internship there with my headscarf.” the student told TRT Deutsch.

She was rejected on the ground of her headscarf after saying “yes” to the question.

“I was speechless at the moment and didn’t know what to say after this racist statement. (…) I came back home with tears in my eyes,” she said.