A woodwork teacher in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt has triggered a dispute over political expression in the classroom ahead of a regional election. Max Heckel, who teaches craft and technical work, was reported to Saxony-Anhalt’s Schools Office after a conversation with a pupil who asked if he had voted for the far-right AfD party.
Teacher’s Chat with Pupil Triggers Threats and Abuse
Heckel said he had explained that he had not voted for the party, in part because the domestic security service had classified it as “extremist”. Weeks later, he received a formal warning for breaching rules that require teachers to remain politically neutral in the classroom. Since then, he says, he has been abused online, threatened with violence, and had his car vandalized.
The AfD believes the decades-long tradition of “Vergangenheitsbewaeltigung”, or coming to terms with the past, has created a guilt complex and undermined national pride. The party says the school system has been weakened by falling standards and functions that have nothing to do with education, such as integrating children from refugee families.
Uphold the Constitution
Heckel’s view is unambiguous. “There is a duty to uphold the constitution,” he said, “and that imposes an obligation on us to protect the free and democratic basic order, both in our private lives and in the workplace.”
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
