The right-wing populists increasingly try to influence schools. Some with success, such as the events surrounding the March for tolerance in Rhineland-Palatinate, Neuwied.
To put In the Moment in which hundreds of students prepare for in Neuwied, a sign and to go to the riots in Chemnitz on the road has changed, Stefanie Müller (Name of the editorial) soaking wet hands. It’s Thursday afternoon, 17 o’clock, only a few hours until the March on the next Morning, and still, the whole event is in jeopardy. “Then that’s Okay luckily came back,” recalls the Queens teacher, “but if the main person responsible school would have said, we are out, then the March would have been likely to complete.”
The students had no idea of the debate the event 2500 of them put tags on it is a sign of tolerance. All schools Neuwieds, only one is actually out of the Heinrich-Heine-Gesamtschule. And thus, ironically, the school in the refugee classes are taught.
How “impartial” can be a star rally?
What had happened? Students and teachers in Neuwied had proposed to organize according to the xenophobic incidents in Chemnitz, Germany, a March with all the schools. “But a few days before have complained, some parents in the schools and the school Supervisory authority ADD. They said, such a thing should take place in the classroom and be much of anything politically,” says Stefanie Müller. Concern for the learning material, or some parents don’t want to agitate against the right-wing populist AfD is made?
“The muffled screaming in Chemnitz, and create a Friendly and Appreciative, contrary to,” was the message in Neuwied
The Supervisory and service Directorate of Rhineland-Palatinate, short ADD, which is responsible for 1,600 schools in the province, in any case, with the school Directors. And reminds you that schools are committed to the mission to the political balance. How to write the ADD on request of the DW: “The event must be designed to be ‘impartial‘. It is important to ensure that any entrained posters, banners, etc. not a one-sided political or party-political attitude.”
A Demonstration is not a Demonstration
With other words: the posters against racism, Yes, the Banner against the AfD no. “The March was not to be called, therefore, more Demonstration,” Müller said. Among the teachers and educators, the discussion goes around like wildfire: “There’s quite a large shock and also a great deal of uncertainty. Because you do not know exactly what to say and what is not.”
Nevertheless, almost all of the schools decide at the end, on the star March. However, with conditions that did not exist before: “A student had to give, for example, be a poster that read: ‘homophobia and racism’. This, then, was too political.” All the posters had to be made neutral. “I found the whole Back-and-Forth unbelievable,” is Miller’s conclusion.
The students in Neuwied were encouraged to Express their opinion, without violating the political neutrality bid
Balancing act for the education authority
Also Sonja Jensen can’t comprehend a lot around the March today. “First of all, the Heinrich-Heine-Realschule collapses. That is a fatal Signal for the refugees that go there to school.” Jensen’s Anger is understandable, she works but in the city of Neuwied for the political participation of children and young people in schools.
The ADD takes you but in protection. “The government must always have the safety of the pupils in the eye. And since you probably had a little fear that there might be a right-wing counter-demo, and riots between the two groups.” A critical question must be the ADD anyway: “Why has the Supervisory authority a Problem that schools deal with her in the education act written order to mediate democratic values?”
“We don’t run against something, but for something”
In the end, the young people would have given anyway, the correct answer to everything, says Jensen. “It was a great event with a great atmosphere, because the students have said, we are running up against something but for something.” So, for tolerance, for diversity, for human rights. “In any speech, it was about exclusion, a Muslim girl has to Slam in a Poetry even in the direction of Chemnitz, said: ‘I rich you the Hand!'”
“Young people show that Rheinland-Pfalz is diverse” – the Minister-President Malu Dreyer to March in Neuwied
For Sonja Jensen remains at the end, that the schools care more about political education, the job, education for democracy must take. “When it comes, for example, to human rights, you must not be neutral. And because the schools have failed in recent years simply.”
AfD has a different perspective on the life of a school
A set of Alexander Wolf would probably sign it. However, with a completely different perspective. “In Hamburg, we always get feedback that subjective mood against the AfD is made”, said the education policy spokesman and Deputy Chairman of the AfD in Hamburg. For Wolf, the school routine looks naturally so: “a Lot of students do not trust themselves in the classroom to criticize, for example, the refugee policy of Angela Merkel, because they are then berated by teachers or classmates as the Nazis.”
With the “action-neutral school” wants to change the AfD in Hamburg, the Internet platform enables students and parents to report AfD-critical teacher. For anonymous: “If a student says, please publish my name because he fears disadvantages, then we accept that.” And also the behavior of the classmates should be able to find in the network space, you will find Wolf: “a Lot of students in Hamburg, interfere with, for example, that Muslim classmates to pray ostentatiously.”
Great uncertainty on the part of German teachers
For Hans-Peter Meidinger, the President of the German teachers ‘ Association, reminded of this at bad times of the German history: “This is a call for denunciation. Unverified accusations against teachers not only violate privacy, but also violates the relationship of trust in the classroom.” Ilka Hoffmann, the trade Union of education and science, by WEIGHT, provides the platform similarly critical: “the actions of the AfD is highly totalitarian.”
“The AfD is trying to exploit young people”, – the President of the German teachers ‘ Association, Heinz-Peter Meidinger
The satirical today Show chose one’s own way, to take the complaint portal on the grain and asked to fill in with ironic and scathing comments. A classic own goal? “Not at all,” says Wolf, “we have initiated an important debate.” Similar platforms are also planned in other States.
In fact the AfD appears to reach with such initiatives, your goal is to influence the education policy. “I notice that immediately”, confirmed the AfD-expert Olaf Sundermeyer, “some principals are just afraid to make mistakes.” The Journalist holds lectures in German schools on the subject of right-wing extremism and teachers on the topic of right-wing populism. “What scares me is the recent uncertainty in the German schools, as you should with the AfD.” The strategy of right-wing populists is simple: “The principle means of intimidation. And it’s working!”