State Student Council calls for change: curricula against extremism in schools!

State Student Council calls for change: curricula against extremism in schools!

The state student council in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has recently been confronted with severe criticism. At a general meeting of delegates, several controversial topics were discussed, including boozy beach parties, which some participants described as “drinking bouts.” Such events cast a shadow over the work of the council and raise concerns about its role as a student advocate. In the midst of these turbulent times, a position paper was also adopted which sets out important demands in order to counteract the increasing extremism in schools, as the SVZ reports.

The position paper calls, among other things, for the documentation and differentiated recording of incidents in the school environment, particularly with regard to extremism. In addition, the number of hours for social studies in grades 7 to 10 is to be increased to two hours per week and a new subject “social sciences” is to be introduced in grades 5 and 6. This subject is intended to teach the basics of democracy, political education and media literacy in order to better prepare students for the challenges of today.

Dramatic rise in right-wing extremist tendencies

The situation in schools in East Germany is alarming. Student representatives from the six eastern German states complain about a worrying increase in right-wing extremist tendencies. Anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and ethnic narratives are no longer uncommon. Many students are now familiar with swastikas and Hitler salutes in classrooms. 18-year-old Stefan Tarnow, spokesman for the State Council of Students in Brandenburg, confirms these worrying developments and calls for decisive countermeasures from politicians, reports Tagesschau.

A joint appeal from the state student councils from Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia explains the need to strengthen the subjects of politics and social studies. In addition, systematic training and further education for teachers is required in order to counter right-wing extremist ideas. The creative use of digital media should also be integrated into lessons so that students can develop a better understanding of the current challenges in society.

Inadequate preparation for right-wing extremist incidents

School communities are often inadequate in terms of personnel and materials to deal with the challenges. It is reported that many teachers are unsettled and do not intervene when right-wing extremist incidents occur. There is an example from Burg, where teachers were treated with hostility after pointing out right-wing extremist statements. These uncertainties are alarming and it is important that appropriate training courses are created to better prepare teachers for such situations, according to educational researcher Nina Kolleck.

The AfD parliamentary group has meanwhile criticized the invitation of Social Affairs Minister Stefanie Drese and other political actors to the delegates' meeting of the State Student Council. She calls for the State Student Council to return to its original task as a critical and independent representation of the interests of students. The debate about the role of the State Student Council and the increasing challenges in everyday school life remain current in the public discussion.

Overall, it is clear that the need for action in schools is high. The demands of student representatives for more intensive political education and the strengthening of values ​​that are fundamental to democratic society should be taken seriously. The time to act is now!