Hessian School Authority Suspends 'Omas gegen Rechts' Events Over Neutrality Rules

State school authorities in the Hessian district of Hersfeld-Rotenburg have halted school activities involving the political initiative Omas gegen Rechts following a complaint regarding political neutrality. The decision by the Bebra State School Authority affects planned reading sessions and project days across several educational institutions in the region.

The intervention occurred after an anonymous complaint was submitted to authorities following a workshop on right-wing extremism held for ninth-grade students at a comprehensive school in Niederaula. Prior to the suspension, members of the activist group had also conducted reading events under the motto Reading for Tolerance and Diversity at two primary schools in Bad Hersfeld. Following local media coverage of the project day, scheduled follow-up events were cancelled.

The Bebra State School Authority based its directive on Section 86 of the Hessian School Act and the Beutelsbacher Consensus, a standard governing political education in German state schools. Acting authority head Marion Van Cuylenburg stated that schools must maintain distance from contemporary political action alliances. The authority noted that while external organisations may supplement classroom teaching, state schools must not become an uncommented stage for political mobilisation, adding that controversial political issues must be presented with appropriate balance.

Petra Gromann, co-founder of the local Omas gegen Rechts chapter, stated that the group had not received a detailed written explanation for the cancellation of their events. According to Gromann, school principals were advised during a headmasters' conference against future cooperation with the initiative. The school authority subsequently clarified that it had not issued a general ban, maintaining that future access depends on how specific school programs are designed.

The opposition Green Party in the Hessian state parliament has criticised the measure and requested clarification from the Hessian Ministry of Education. Sascha Meier, educational policy spokesman for the Greens, stated that the neutrality mandate must not serve as a pretext to keep democratic engagement against right-wing extremism out of our schools. The party called on Education Minister Armin Schwarz of the Christian Democratic Union to ensure that regional school authorities do not enforce neutrality guidelines in an overly restrictive manner.

Written by Freya Stensrud freya.stensrud@alpineweekly.com