A German state has given its first approval to a law banning teachers from wearing headscarves. A final decision in Baden-Wuerttemberg will be reached in March. This comes after Germany's highest court ruled a teacher could wear the scarf, but also controversially decided it was up to individual states to pass their own laws on the matter. The law would only apply to teachers; school children would not be stopped from wearing the veil. Seven other German states are now expected to propose similar legislation. France is in the throes of a similar debate on the issue, but there, teachers and students would be outlawed from displaying all overt religious symbols in state schools. The Muslim community say they are really the ones being targeted and have held protests throughout the country. Just over the border, about a hundred Muslim women took to the streets of the Belgian capital. They fear similar laws to those now being debated in France could one day be introduced in their country as well. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Baden-Wuerttemberg state.