The case of the bullied teacher at the vocational school in the Viennese district of Ottakring has triggered a long overdue discussion about the conditions at Austria’s schools. Bullied teachers and pupils, violent excesses and often completely chaotic teaching conditions are unfortunately reality. The fact is that many public schools in the cities have long been plagued by a culture war.Integration has unfortunately failed completely in the school system. In Vienna’s compulsory schools, 62% of pupils do not have German as their mother tongue. In some districts of Vienna there are now whole classes in which not a single student speaks the German language any more. In these schools, regular instruction is often no longer possible. In addition to the language problem, there is also a “cultural” problem. No respect for women, no understanding for authority, high propensity for violence. Many committed teachers now despair of these conditions. Last year alone there were 845 reports of violence in Austrian schools.In reality, integration in schools must now be made a matter for the authorities. There is an urgent need for a School Summit with the Chancellor, the Minister of Education, the responsible State Education Councils and those affected. Austria is not only threatened with an integration disaster at schools – unfortunately this cultural struggle has long been a bitter reality. Now is the time for something to happen!
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