The rising tide of far-right incidents in German schools is sparking widespread concern, according to a recent Forsa poll commissioned by “Stern” and RTL. A substantial 73% of German citizens express significant or very significant worry regarding the surge in extremist activity within educational institutions. This anxiety is pervasive across the political spectrum, with figures consistently above 80% among supporters of nearly all parties. Notably, a stark divergence emerges within the AfD base, where over half express minimal to no concern.
The poll further illuminates a critical divide regarding expectations for educators. Only 9% of respondents define political neutrality for teachers as absolute silence, even in response to student expressions of unconstitutional views. This figure balloons to 24% among AfD supporters, highlighting a fundamental disagreement on the role of teachers in confronting extremist perspectives.
The AfD has campaigned for years under the banner of “Neutral Schools” advocating for strict political neutrality among teachers. While referencing the state neutrality principle, the party frequently overlooks its limitations. While civil servants are prohibited from serving specific political parties, they are simultaneously obligated to uphold the principles of the democratic constitutional state – a requirement frequently challenged by the AfD’s interpretation of neutrality. Current state school laws mandate that teachers actively convey and defend fundamental democratic values, a responsibility the party seeks to undermine.
Alarmingly, only 5% of those surveyed believe this legal obligation to be incorrect. Among AfD supporters, this figure rises significantly. Nearly three times as many respondents (14%) dispute the necessity for teachers to actively promote democratic values in the classroom, with an additional 12% offering no opinion. This divergence underscores a worrying trend: the AfD’s platform appears to cultivate a cohort of citizens who question fundamental tenets of the German democratic order and seek to dismantle the very structures designed to safeguard it within the education system. The poll’s findings raise urgent questions about the responsibility of political actors to affirm and reinforce democratic principles within German society, particularly in contexts where those principles are seemingly under deliberate assault.
