Politics · labournet.de · 37m
AfD reporting portals against teachers: Part of a global right-wing campaign against emancipatory teaching
Deutsch (original) · Auto-translated to English
dossier
TheFascist Brazilian presidential candidatehas it in the program: school without parties (which means, beautifully, as before, teaching colonialism, the country was “discovered” by the Portuguese on April 22, 1500); Mr. Trump's tea drinkers have it as their goal: ideology-free schools (i.e. we have civilized the “Wild West” and the few dead Indians deserve it anyway) and several others. Indian saffron fascists don't like to hear the Muslim part of their own history, with Orban the children should climb around on tanks instead of social studies and so on - a right-wing radical ideologues' association like the AFD couldn't be missing: they call their denunciation program a neutral school, they've never been inventive.The neutralityshould then probably start with historical ethnic idiocies such as the Frankish king (and butcher of Saxony) was the first “German” emperor and end with the end of the curriculum with regard to the Nazi dictatorship and (of course, out of self-interest) criticism of racism of all kinds. More inventive than AFD agitation is the fzs' mode of protest against this move. See the general response to the AFD informer campaign, union statement and further information:
- “Education must not be a bargaining chip”: GEW education union supports colleagues in Saxony-Anhalt
“The Education and Science Union (GEW) is deeply concerned about the outcome of the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt last Sunday. According to preliminary results, the AfD has become the strongest force with almost 44 percent. For the first time since the end of the Second World War, a state government could be led by a party whose state association is classified as definitely right-wing extremist by the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution. "Now everything is at stake when it comes to forming a government in the new state parliament! The question is how firmly the democratic parties will stay at a distance from the AfD and counter it," says Eva Gerth, GEW state chairwoman of Saxony-Anhalt. Maike Finnern, chairwoman of the GEW, adds: "In view of this situation, this is not the time to be tactical and small-minded. All other parties must stand together in view of this result. The political demands of the AfD must not play a role." (…)
"Democratic education does not end on election night. The GEW calls on the future state government to continue to finance 'School without racism - school with courage', to protect the state center for political education and to uphold the Beutelsbach Consensus as a principle for all schools. The state parliament's culture committee and the state educational institutes must remain free of AfD influence," said GEW chairwoman Maike Finnern. "A lot was promised by the parties during the election campaign, this must now be implemented. Education needs all support, especially financially."
Regardless of the government's outcome, the GEW remains on the side of the employees. Anyone who experiences hostility, denunciations or pressure from the right can find information, advice and, if necessary, legal protection from the union. "This dramatic result is a profound change. But it does not make us unable to act. On the contrary, the GEW has prepared itself. Our members should know that they are not alone," emphasizes Gerth. “And one thing is clear: there is no cooperation for the GEW with nationalistic, right-wing extremist and anti-constitutional forces,” affirms Finnern.”GEW press release from September 7, 2026
- Over 250,000 people are supporting democracy and teachers: Alliance hands over petition “School shows attitude” to the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs
“More than 259,000 people have signed - for political education and democracy education, for attitudes and human rights, and against intimidation. They all demand clear support for teachers who stand up against hatred, agitation and anti-democratic tendencies in schools. A broad alliance of six organizations today handed over the petition “School shows attitude – strengthening teachers against hatred and agitation” to Udo Michallik, Secretary General of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs, in Berlin.
Since November 2025, the alliance of GEW, Greenpeace, Teachers for Future Germany, Federal Student Conference, German Association for Political Education (DVPB) and parents have been collecting signatures against the right. The central demand: Teachers who advocate for democracy, human dignity and protection against discrimination in their classrooms need more support from the responsible authorities.
There is uncertainty in many schools. An alleged “neutrality requirement” is being deliberately abused by authoritarian forces to discredit political education and democratic engagement. The educational mandate expressly obliges schools and teachers to take a stand and stand up for basic and human rights, for democracy and against discrimination and anti-democratic tendencies…”GEW press release from September 1st, 2026
with voices of the alliance members and the central demands, see also:
- [Campaign] School shows attitude
“Right-wing extremist incidents in schools are increasing. Teachers who take a critical stance on this are increasingly being attacked. The neutrality myth is unsettling. The GEW shows you how you can strengthen democratic values in the classroom and defend yourself against attempts at intimidation…”GEW campaign page
and the petitionSchool shows attitude – teachers strengthen against hatred and agitation 
- Schools in the AfD's sights: What does the right-wing extremist party plan to do? (Podcast Podcast)
“Rems-Murr circle. They took a break for two and a half years, now it's starting again: In a new episode of the “Motion Detector” podcast, ZVW editors Peter Schwarz and Alexander Roth deal with pressing questions about the AfD. Why is the “School without Racism” program a thorn in her side? How does the right-wing extremist party want to rebuild our schools? How is it already fueling right-wing extremism in schools? And what does the Rems-Murr district have to do with the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt?
State election in Saxony-Anhalt: blueprint for blue education plans?
In order to address these questions, the editors dissect the AfD's programs in Baden-Württemberg and Saxony-Anhalt, among other things. Not only parallels become visible. What the AfD is planning to do in Saxony-Anhalt is, in some respects, much more radical. The podcast is therefore also about the question: What threatens if the right-wing extremist party in Saxony-Anhalt actually comes into government responsibility? The election will take place there on Sunday, September 6th…”Report on the ZVW podcast from September 1st, 2026

- [Campaign] School shows attitude
- The AfD wants to radically restructure Saxony-Anhalt's schools and bring its ethnic ideology into the classroom
“Less than three weeks left until the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt. And it could be a choice of fate. The AfD has been at over 40 percent for months and could become the prime minister in a federal state for the first time - in extreme cases even govern alone. The question is all the more important: What can and what does the AfD actually want to change if it comes to power?
It has particularly great leverage when it comes to education. Because schools in Germany are a state matter. This is no coincidence. After the experiences with the Nazi state and its totalitarian conformity, the aim was to prevent a government from Berlin from being able to determine the minds and curricula of all students. But this also means: If the AfD rules in Saxony-Anhalt, it can and wants to radically restructure the education system there. Or better said: She wants to subordinate it to her ethnic ideology and catapult it back into the past. And as quickly as possible. (…)
Everything that costs a lot of money in the state budget cannot be implemented by decree, but school policy offers very direct access to the activities of the respective school through administrative regulations. The AfD government therefore has a very direct line to children and young people. And will try everything to force their ethnic ideology into the classroom.
Specifically: State-wide teaching materials dictated by the Ministry of Education. “Special classes for refugee children”. Private security services in schoolyards. Russian language lessons and exchange programs. The Empire as a staged model in history lessons. The end of the “School against Racism” program because “real racism hardly exists anymore” and this “takes action against legitimate right-wing and patriotic attitudes” (it says so in the program, no joke!). No integration, no inclusion, no school social work. Just: reading, writing, arithmetic. With frontal teaching, systematic repetition and strict performance monitoring.
The AfD has no solution to the real problems in the school system – a shortage of teachers, canceled lessons, a backlog of renovations. On the contrary: She simply claims that the shortage of teachers is not a cause, but an effect. “Education is declining not because there are fewer and fewer teachers, but because education is declining, no one wants to become a teacher anymore.” And: “This crisis is not a crisis of money, it is a crisis of the spirit.”…”Contribution by Maurice Höfgen and Bob Blume from August 22, 2026 on Money for the World
– Blog by Maurice Höfgen (“Saxony-Anhalt: THAT is what the AfD wants to change in schools”), see also:
- State elections 2026 Legal expert: What the AfD could implement from its education plans
“Abolition of compulsory schooling, an end to inclusion or special classes for refugees: there are two state elections in September that could have far-reaching consequences for schools. If the AfD gets the most votes in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, there is a possibility that the party will also take over the education ministries there. Felix Wirth Hanschmann, professor of administrative and constitutional law at Hamburg's Bucerius Law School, classifies demands from the party's election programs from a legal perspective…”Contribution by Sandra Hermes from June 26, 2026 on deutsches-schulportal.de
- Case studies neutrality debate: Tips for common conflicts at school
“The debate about the supposed neutrality requirement is causing uncertainty in many schools when dealing with right-wing extremist or right-wing populist positions. The book “Political education in reactionary times. A plea for a steadfast school” by Rico Behrens, Anja Besand and Stefan Breuer presents typical examples of conflicts from everyday school life and shows teachers options for action. The school portal presents three cases from this…”Contribution by Sandra Hermes from June 26, 2026 on deutsches-schulportal.de
– these and many other cases tooin a PDF
, published by the Wochenschau Verlag Frankfurt/M. provided free of charge - A broad alliance of science, trade unions and student representatives warns against attacks on democratic universities
Joint statement against the AfD's university policy ideas -Statement from July 1st, 2026 at GEW Saxony-Anhalt
- Diversity sets a precedent – Saxony-Anhalt needs inclusion!
Petition from parents against the right
to Jan Riedel, Education Minister of Saxony-Anhalt - See alsohttps://teachersforfuture.org/schule-shows-keeping/

- State elections 2026 Legal expert: What the AfD could implement from its education plans
- Frontal attack on schools: The AfD's push for homeschooling is much more than education policy - the Federal Council is calling for compulsory schooling to be maintained
- Frontal attack on schools: The AfD's push for homeschooling is much more than education policy. It's about the question of who will shape the next generation.
“Who would have thought that the Federal Council would one day have to actively work to maintain compulsory schooling. Children have of course been going to school for generations. The conditions in many schools could certainly be better: lessons are often canceled because teachers are missing. In international comparative studies, children from Germany are doing worse and worse, the rooms are desolate in some places, and educational opportunities for digitalization often remain unused. The defects are complex. But the fact that the Federal Council is now appealing to the federal government to work to maintain compulsory schooling is special - and is not related to the education crisis, but to the AfD.
The party is trying to push through its ideas about education and knowledge transfer in several federal states - and since education is primarily a task for the states, it could potentially soon push through its own agenda if it wins elections in Saxony-Anhalt or Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. That sounds relatively harmless at first, but there is something fundamental behind it: She wants to allow homeschooling as a supplement to school and calls this “compulsory education” in Saxony-Anhalt. But in reality this would be a frontal attack on the school system with the aim of weakening democratic education. Because with homeschooling there is scope to undermine the curricula. Racist and anti-democratic ideas could therefore be conveyed much more easily. It is also conceivable that with the establishment of homeschooling, initiatives will arise that will ultimately result in ethnic schools…”Article by Stefan Otto from July 11, 2026 in ND online
- Countries are calling for compulsory education to be maintained
“On the initiative of several states, the Federal Council voted on July 10, 2026 to maintain compulsory schooling as a guarantee of equal opportunities and social cohesion.
With a resolution, the states are calling on the federal government to oppose any plans that could weaken compulsory education as a fundamental principle of the German education system. In future laws, she should take into account the importance of compulsory schooling for an efficient, fair and inclusive education system. (…) The resolution will be sent to the federal government. It is at their discretion whether they take up the states' suggestions.”Federal Council press release documented on July 10, 2026 on education click
- Frontal attack on schools: The AfD's push for homeschooling is much more than education policy. It's about the question of who will shape the next generation.
- How democracy in schools is coming under pressure from the AfD
"In the state parliaments, the AfD is targeting schools. The number of small inquiries about alleged violations of the duty of neutrality have doubled. Teachers are unsettled. CORRECTIV sheds light on what it takes to make schools democratically resilient.
At the decision of the school conference, the headmaster of a comprehensive school in Gelsenkirchen hangs a rainbow flag on the school building as a sign of diversity. The result: a mass of insults by email and a special meeting as well as a summons from the AfD to the city's education committee, where the school principal is supposed to explain himself for allegedly violating the neutrality requirement. The headmaster of a Cologne comprehensive school is confronted with a supervisory complaint from the AfD. He did not invite the AfD to the podium during a discussion with parties in order to protect his predominantly migrant student body. In Brandenburg, a school principal prevents an underage student from completing an internship with the AfD. When the AfD publicized the case via its social media channels, the school principal received death threats. (…)
A list that could be continued: Schools in Germany are faced with the challenge of maintaining their democratic resilience. The fact that the AfD is systematically putting pressure on schools can also be seen in the increasing number of small parliamentary questions with which the party is targeting school management across the federal states. According to research by CORRECTIV, there were 45 small inquiries in state parliaments nationwide in 2025. In this way, the AfD is trying to prove to school management that they have alleged conflicts with their duty of neutrality as civil servants and thus obtain disciplinary measures. It's about rainbow flags at school, Antifa stickers on teachers' tablets or the participation of school classes in demonstrations against the right. This is a doubling compared to the previous year. In 2024 there were still 21 small inquiries of this type. There are also AfD reporting portals that call for teachers to be denounced. There are also campaigns in which the AfD sends a press release asking the party to inform the party about alleged violations of neutrality in schools. (…) “The AfD is very successful with this strategy,” says law professor Felix Wirth Hanschmann. (…)
In order to counter the current uncertainty in schools, politics must more aggressively dispel the myth of neutrality, says Hanschmann, who holds the professorship for criticism of law - fundamentals and practice of the democratic constitutional state at the Bucerius Law School in Hamburg. “School is party-politically neutral, but not normatively neutral - and the teaching profession must be guided by the spirit of the constitution.” The basis is always the Basic Law on which the school laws are based with their mission: “There we find the repetition of the Basic Law with the task of schools to educate democratic citizens, to convey tolerance and openness towards other cultures as well as responsibility towards nature and the environment and sensitivity towards sexual diversity and variety.” (…)
But the AfD doesn't just attack schools and teachers with a strategy of uncertainty and slander. In its election programs for the upcoming state elections, the party also reveals how it wants to fundamentally change schools: end inclusion, special classes for refugee children, only 25 percent of a year group go to high school, compulsory education instead of compulsory schooling, the German flag instead of the rainbow flag and centrally determined teaching materials. This is what it says in the previously leaked draft of the AfD's program in Saxony-Anhalt, where the party is currently polling at 40 percent. (…)
So what can be done to make schools democratically resilient in this situation? At the political level, the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs is an important area, according to Hanschmann. School policy issues such as the setting and monitoring of national educational standards are coordinated there. (…) In addition, the legislators in the federal states could consider which rules they should now stipulate in the school law: “Similar to the resilience of the judiciary, where things were drawn from simple laws into the constitution, you could turn ordinances or administrative regulations into simple laws,” recommends Hanschmann - for example by firmly anchoring sex education lessons as a school subject in the school law. “Then we would at least have the guarantee that a change to this regulation would have to be decided publicly in Parliament.” There is currently a lack of awareness in politics about such resilience-creating measures for the education system. (…)
There is also a public call for help from the schools themselves: With the petition “School shows attitude”, GEW, Teachers for Future and Greenpeace, together with the Federal Student Conference and the German Association for Civic Education, are appealing to politicians to strengthen teachers against hatred and incitement. So far more than 250,000 people have signed. (…) “Teachers who are clearly committed to basic democratic values and protection against discrimination far too often experience a lack of support,” criticizes GEW boss Finnern. (…) In school it is often not courage that rules, but rather an anticipatory fear of making mistakes, says [Andreas Niessen, head of the Cologne Helios School]. He himself announces demonstrations for diversity in emails to the school community: "I don't think any school principal has been warned in the end because he promoted a demonstration for democracy and human rights." Post by Alexandra Ringendahl from February 26, 2026 at CORRECTIV
- In its election program for the state elections, the AfD Baden-Württemberg is relying on an elitist education system and is threatening a “fundamental revision” of the curricula
“She wants to abolish compulsory school attendance, a numerus clausus for the fifth grade, and diversity is also a thorn in her side at school. In its election program for the state elections, the AfD Baden-Württemberg is relying on an elitist education system and hurray patriotism.
The AfD promises “first aid for our country” in its state election program and threatens to “commission a fundamental revision of the curricula in the first hundred days.” A state government has direct access to education policy and the AfD wants to use this opportunity. At the state party conference in Hechingen in November, its top candidate Markus Frohnmaier propagated an educational turnaround under the keywords performance, discipline and identity with “black-red-gold in front of every school in the country”. A “German dominant culture” based on a positive national image should become the central goal. The AfD's program reveals that this means breaking up the Nazi-critical culture of remembrance "in favor of a view of history that also includes the positive, identity-forming aspects of German history." Nazi crimes are not denied, but should fade into the background. Accordingly, the AfD has already applied in the state parliament - unsuccessfully - to cancel the subsidy for trips to memorial sites of Nazi crimes and to reallocate it to funding trips to “significant sites in German history”.
Children and young people are shaped in schools, so the AfD wants to anchor its ideology there. Critical teachers disrupt this. In 2018, as part of a wave of AfD reporting portals, Stefan Räpple, a member of the Baden-Württemberg state parliament at the time, used his platform “My teacher rushes” to call for “politically active teachers and professors” to be spied on and reported, for example through film recordings. A little later, the faction also set up a “Fair School” denunciation portal. It should be reported if teachers made derogatory comments about the American President Trump or asked “influential questions in the field of history”. The idea of someone sitting in class, taking notes, and then launching campaigns led to significant resistance that ultimately brought down the platforms. In 2022, Stefan Räpple was sentenced to ten months in prison on probation after he called for the overthrow of the government in Mainz and in Berlin in 2020 tried to storm the Reichstag with a few hundred demonstrators, following the example of Trump fans…”Article by Erhard Korn from February 18, 2026 in the context weekly newspaper issue 777
(“Homeschooling instead of compulsory schooling”) - AfD wants to abolish compulsory schooling (rejected in Brandenburg) but also wants to abolish more discipline (AfD school code in Baden-Württemberg) and school uniforms (in Rhineland-Palatinate)
- AfD wants to change the Basic Law – in order to effectively abolish compulsory schooling (application rejected)
“School attendance is compulsory in Germany. The AfD proposes making this a compulsory education - so that parents can teach their children at home. This is met with resistance in the Brandenburg state parliament. The majority of the Brandenburg state parliament has spoken out against changing compulsory schooling to allow for more learning at home. The SPD, CDU and BSW voted against the AfD's proposal that the state government in the Bundesrat advocate a change to the Basic Law in order to make compulsory schooling possible through equivalent learning at home…”Report from January 29, 2026 at News4teachers
with material from the dpa
- Brandenburg: AfD calls for home learning because of immigrant children
“School attendance is compulsory in Germany. The AfD suggests relaxing them so that parents can teach their children at home. Reason: Too many immigrant children in schools. This is met with resistance in the Brandenburg state parliament. The AfD idea is not new.
The majority of the Brandenburg state parliament has spoken out against changing compulsory schooling to allow for more learning at home. The SPD, CDU and BSW voted against the AfD's proposal that the state government in the Bundesrat advocate a change to the Basic Law in order to make compulsory schooling possible through equivalent learning at home.
“Schools in Germany not only have an educational mandate, but also an educational mandate,” said Education Minister Steffen Freiberg (SPD). Compulsory schooling is a valuable asset. “And I don’t want to imagine a step backwards,” said the minister. There, students could learn to deal with differences and learn what tolerance means. Schools also have an integration function and counteract parallel societies. Families do not need privatization of education, said SPD MP Annemarie Wolff. “They need reliable schools, all-day programs, support and professional teachers.” (…)Similar to the AfD, Saxony's head of government Michael already had in 2023Kretschmer (CDU) explains
, the quality of education can no longer be guaranteed because of immigrant students. Critics accused him of “distorting the facts.” This policy is “absolutely shameful” and grist for the mill of agitators.”Report from February 1st, 2026 in Migazin 
- Brandenburg: AfD calls for home learning because of immigrant children
- AfD school code: Standing up to greet when the teacher enters the classroom
“«Good morning, Mr. Müller!” – that's not enough for AfD top candidate Frohnmaier to greet teachers in class. He wants more decency in schools (at least what the AfD understands by decency).
The AfD politician Markus Frohnmaier believes that school children should stand up at the beginning of the lesson when the teacher enters the classroom. They want to bring more discipline to schools, said Frohnmaier at an event organized by the “Stuttgarter Zeitung” and “Stuttgarter Nachrichten” in the run-up to the state elections in the southwest. Frohmaier wants to become Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg. The AfD top candidate wants to implement this with a nationwide school code…”Report from January 29, 2026 at News4teachers
with material from the dpa - AfD wants to introduce school uniforms (based on the British model) – also for teachers
“Does a uniform look help against bullying – and for better performance at school? Controversial debates in the Rhineland-Palatinate state parliament regarding an AfD proposal are probably inevitable…”Report from January 26, 2026 at News4teachers
with material from the dpa
- AfD wants to change the Basic Law – in order to effectively abolish compulsory schooling (application rejected)
- “Authoritarian access to schools”: The Brandenburg AfD’s public “resolution on education policy” is causing massive criticism
“No foreign language teaching, requirements for teacher training, migration quotas: the Brandenburg AfD’s public education resolution is causing massive criticism in Potsdam.
It was about lowering the age of criminal responsibility and temporarily suspending English lessons. It was about promoting handwriting and supplementing compulsory schooling with compulsory education. At the weekend, the district chairman's conference of the AfD, which the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution classified as right-wing extremist, presented a ten-point “resolution on education policy”. When it comes to political competition, there is great horror: the AfD relies on isolation, blanket suspicions and punishments, explained SPD education politician Katja Poschmann. Anyone who demands “German before regular schooling”, brings migration quotas into play or excludes entire groups across the board is not working on better schools – but on a “society of second chances for a few and closed doors for many”. “This AfD “resolution” is definitely not a serious educational program,” Poschmann continued. “The paper is an attack on our free society in almost every respect.” The AfD wants to exclude students from access to educational institutions using migration quotas, “even though origin alone says nothing at all about language skills.” Anyone who speaks of indoctrination at universities is committing an attack on the freedom of research and teaching. “Wanting to abolish compulsory schooling is a fatal signal because it means that children can be isolated and taught their own world view,” said Poschmann. “The AfD wants to build its own parallel world – and it wants to start with our children.”…” Article by Benjamin Lassiwe from January 12, 2026 in the Tagesspiegel online
(“Authoritarian access to schools”: SPD and CDU horrified by AfD education paper”) - How AfD politicians put teachers under pressure
“The school institution is coming under increasing pressure. Across the country, AfD politicians are taking targeted action against teachers who are alleged to be indoctrinating students. As a reason for this, they point, among other things, to the state's neutrality requirement. But their approach suggests that it could be about much more.Some of them seem to want to have an influence - on the education system in the countries. Changing the history curricula - more Bismarck and less National Socialism - is what an AfD politician from Saxony-Anhalt told Contrasts. A development that Education Minister Karin Prien sees with great concern. The AfD has no interest in educating children and young people to become responsible citizens, says Prien in an interview with Contrasts…”Text and video of the article by Silvio Duwe, Chris Humbs and Markus Pohl
in the program Contrasts from November 6th, 2025 on rbb - [FAQ] The AfD is trying to establish reporting portals against teachers. The GEW encourages its members not to be intimidated.
“What you should know about the denunciation platforms.
They already existed a few years ago: so-called AfD reporting portals, through which students and parents were supposed to anonymously report teachers critical of the party. In 2024, the Lower Saxony state parliamentary group of the right-wing party started a new attempt, according to consistent media reports. This time with your own email address instead of an online form. There was recently a push for a reporting portal in Saxony, and the AfD in Thuringia is also trying to attract attention with a reporting portal for “violence at schools”.
The AfD is trying to intimidate teachers and argues with the neutrality requirement, which is derived from the so-called “Beutelsbach Consensus”. But the Bechersbach Consensus should not be confused with the state's party-political neutrality requirement. The consensus formulates three central didactic principles of political education: the ban on overpowering or indoctrination, the requirement for controversy and the goal of enabling students to participate in politics. Teachers are allowed to express their own political opinions, but are not allowed to present them as generally valid. Controversial topics must be treated from multiple perspectives.
Democracy education is a central component of the state's educational and educational mandate. The state school laws describe the goals. Teachers should convey democratic values such as dignity and equality for all people, freedom, justice and solidarity. When it comes to political education at school, teachers do not have to behave neutrally. It is important to examine different perspectives. Based on the Basic Law, teachers should take a clear stance against, for example, right-wing extremism, anti-Semitism, glorification of violence and inhumane statements. (…) The GEW sheds light on the legal basis for political education in schools, the meaning and purpose of the Beutelsbach Consensus and provides guidance for teachers…”GEW topic article “The AfD reporting portals”
last updated on September 3, 2025
- In May, the AfD's teacher registration portal caused a stir in Bremen. A storm in a teacup, as we now see. But that could be expensive for the AfD
“The Bremen AfD has removed the “teacher registration portal” from its homepage. “For data protection reasons, but not only because of that,” says the party’s state chairman, Peter Beck. "But also because we don't want this denunciation. We have complete trust in teachers." That sounded completely different a year ago. Ultimately, however, with its unanimous decision against the portal this week, the new AfD state executive committee only ended a project that practically never ran in Bremen anyway. (…) When the AfD actually activated its portal on May 20, 2019, this outrage received new impetus. The party had achieved its actual goal a week before the general election. “Back then we were told that we were just using it to make headlines in the media,” Beck admits frankly. (…) And she also told the AfD this, Sommer explained on Wednesday when asked by WESER-KURIER. Although the portal was not yet online at that time. “According to the General Data Protection Regulation, I can warn you in advance: If you implement what you are currently planning, it would be illegal.” The AfD nevertheless activated its portal for a short time in May. "We then sent the party an order to stop it immediately. That's what happened." The party must still expect a fine for violating the General Data Protection Regulation. Sommer does not want to comment on the amount. According to the law, the punishment should be “quite severe and dissuasive, but also proportionate”. Article by Ralf Michel from November 28th, 2019 in the Weser Kurier online
- [Baden-Württemberg] Data protection officer does not consider himself responsible for the controversial AfD portal - responsibility of the state parliament
“The Minister of Education of Baden-Württemberg asks the state data protection officer for an assessment of the AfD reporting portal. He sees Parliament as responsible. Susanne Eisenmann (CDU), Minister of Culture of Baden-Württemberg, has data protection concerns about the controversial AfD reporting platform for incidents at schools. In a letter she asked the state data protection officer Stefan Brink for an assessment, as the Schwäbische Zeitung reported on Monday. Brink said: “That doesn’t fall within my area of responsibility.” (…) Eisenmann wrote that the platform invites teachers to report their names if they are suspected of politically influencing students. According to the General Data Protection Regulation, personal data that reveal a political opinion may only be collected if there is significant public interest. She doesn't see any such interest here. If, as she suspects, the platform violates the General Data Protection Regulation, she would like Brink to provide information about what options there are to take action against the portal. Brink said the information collected by the AfD was particularly sensitive data, especially because children and young people were affected. Since the AfD parliamentary group operates the platform, the evaluation falls under the responsibility of the state parliament. (…)In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the state data protection officer there banned a corresponding portal in September
. Against this background, Eisenmann wrote to Brink, she asked him for his data protection assessment. In this state, the AfD portal was operated by the party, not by the parliamentary group as in Baden-Württemberg. Data protection officer Brink said: “That is the crucial difference as far as my responsibility is concerned.” Instead, Parliament must deal with it under its own data protection regime, he said. However, this is still at the level of 2012 - i.e. from times when the GDPR, which has been in force since 2018, did not even exist…”Report from November 19th, 2019 at Heise news
- Despite sharp criticism: AfD-Baden-Württemberg puts a “denunciation platform” for teachers online
“The Baden-Württemberg AfD has activated a controversial reporting platform for students, parents and teachers. Teachers should be reported there in the event of “political influence”. The parliamentary director of the Baden-Württemberg AfD, Anton Baron, said that the site was based on a decision by the parliamentary group. As it says there, “incidents” can be reported to schools. You can choose between different categories, including “political influence” and “neutrality”, but also “violence at school” and “bullying”. The affected teacher or school management should be named. (…) The Baden-Württemberg Minister of Culture Susanne Eisenmann (CDU) called on everyone to oppose such a platform on which one could vent one's frustration under the protection of anonymity. Direct, interpersonal exchange between students, parents and teachers is always the better way. It is an “assumption that teachers are not working politically correctly.” The political neutrality of teachers does not mean that inhumane statements in class have to be treated as neutral and legitimate political positions, said Eisenmann. (…) The GEW education union spoke of spying methods that were last used in schools 75 years ago, i.e. during the time of the National Socialists. The Association for Education and Upbringing (VBE) announced that legal measures would be taken if necessary to protect teachers from “informing”.Doro Moritz, state chairwoman of the GEW, said: “The AfD’s idea is to intimidate teachers.” Article from November 14th, 2019 on SWR Aktuell
- [October 21st - October 25th, 2019] Antifa Altona Ost starts campaign: Stop right-wing agitation! Flood the Petz portal!
See thisInstructions and the link to the #petzportalfluten campaign at Antifa Altona Ost on Twitter
as well as on Instagram
- Hamburg schools: Without fear against the AfD. The Hamburg AfD is calling on students and parents to denounce left-wing teachers on a website. The party misunderstands the tasks of political teachers
“The Hamburg faction of the AfD is calling on students and their parents to report evidence of left-wing ideologies in the classroom on a website. The social scientist Tim Engartner teaches future politics teachers. He explains in this guest post that they don't have to be afraid to express their opinions in class. He is of the opinion that the school cannot and must not be neutral. (…) The establishment of such a complaints office should be rejected because it trains children to become informers and destroys the relationship of trust between students and teachers. Those who - like the Hamburg AfD parliamentary group - call for anonymous reports have no sincere interest in clarification, but rather want to muzzle the teachers who express a negative attitude towards the AfD. But when the AfD chafes itself against violations of the “commitment to political neutrality” and against the Beutelsbach Consensus, it also reveals that it misunderstands the tasks of politics teachers. The Sachesbach Consensus, written in 1976 and ultimately shared by all political leaders, provides for a triad from which two central axioms for the current debate can be derived. First: Students must not be prevented from forming their own judgments (ban on overpowering). Second: Topics that are controversial in science and politics must also appear controversial in class (controversy requirement). (…) Teachers must make their own positions transparent as such, but as long as they point out that their point of view represents only one of several legitimate positions, this is undoubtedly permissible.Students must also be allowed to take positions that do not correspond to those of the teacher, without having to fear that these will be disadvantageous to them - for example in terms of grading. So there is no reason for teachers to be intimidated. (…) At the same time, school authorities and ministries of education must be alarmed. Democracy has always been latently threatened by apathy, extremism and populism. But now, with the parliamentary rise of the AfD and the growing acceptance of group-based misanthropy, this threat is also becoming virulent in schools. Since democratic consciousness is not an anthropological constant, but must be learned on a daily basis, political education at schools, universities and adult education institutions must not be further marginalized. It can no longer only be called when it is supposed to act as a fire brigade to combat social hot spots such as xenophobia or youth violence. In order to be able to counter the flood of incomplete and factually incorrect information with facts, schools must be given more teaching time for political education…" AGuest article by Tim Engartner from September 23, 2018 at Zeit online
- Ban on AfD teacher registration portal - Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's data protection officer threatens the state association with a fine
"The state data protection officer of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Heinz Müller (SPD), has banned the Internet portal "Neutrale Schule" operated by the AfD. Requests for students to denounce their teachers if they allegedly violate the political neutrality requirement must be removed from the site within a week by the AfD state association concerned. Müller announced this on Friday. Otherwise, the AfD is threatened with a fine. (...) "It is not allowed "It can be that teachers are intimidated by such a portal in their teaching activities," explained the data protection officer. It is the teachers' task to "stand up for democracy, the Basic Law and the human dignity guaranteed therein." In doing so, they should not be afraid of being "harassed by self-appointed AfD watchdogs," explained Müller “registered teachers” collected…” Report in the young world from September 14, 2019
- The requirement of neutrality in education. Neutral towards racist and right-wing extremist positions of parties?
“The publication particularly examines the question of whether and to what extent it is legally required and therefore also permissible for teachers in school lessons or those involved in extracurricular education to address racist and right-wing extremist positions of parties. The focus is on the question of how the state's requirement of party-political neutrality and the parties' right to equal opportunities in political competition (Article 21 of the Basic Law) are to be understood. These legal questions have so far been little investigated and there is no established case law in the field. But they are taking a stand, especially since the AfD party launched the “Neutral School” campaign against teachers in some federal states. In addition, the party questions programs set up by the federal and state governments to promote democracy and puts pressure on actors who critically address racist and right-wing extremist positions of parties in the area of extracurricular education…”The study by Hendrik Cremer from August 2019
can also be done at the German Human Rights Institutecan be ordered free of charge as a printed version
- Hamburg's school senator agrees (again) with the AfD - which is triumphant
“Because it considers the AfD to be xenophobic, a personnel service agency does not want to place party members in Hamburg schools. The AfD sees its fundamental rights violated again and turns to the school authorities - with success. Already for the umpteenth time.
At the request of the school authorities, a personnel service agency working for Hamburg schools and daycare centers has removed an anti-AfD clause from its fee contracts. He complied with the request, although he considered it legally questionable, said the managing director of Lernzeit Schulpersonal-Service GmbH, Wolfhard Westphal, on Thursday to the German Press Agency. At the same time, he expressed incomprehension about the school authorities' attitude. The AfD parliamentary group, which had previously threatened the authority with legal action, paid school senator Ties Rabe “respect for his consistent and legally secure approach”. The point of dispute was a clause in the agency's contracts with the freelancers, in which under the item "Illnesses, previous convictions, memberships" it said: "The KL (course leader, editor's note) declares that he does not belong to any anti-democratic organization (NPD, AfD, AKP, etc.) or a sect (Scientology, etc.)." The specialists placed by the agency are primarily used in all-day care. The AfD saw this as a violation of the principle of equal treatment. Parliamentary group leader Alexander Wolf now praised the senator's intervention "to stop further discrimination against AfD members in Hamburg schools." Once again it shows that “our information portal “Neutral Schools Hamburg” helps to uncover gross grievances and eliminate them – without shaming teachers or other people.” The parliamentary group received information about the clause via its controversial reporting portal…”dpa report from June 20, 2019 at News4teachers
- AfD denunciation portals are a failure! AfD spy pages balance sheet: Over 99% of all entries are spam and fun entries
“The world of the AfD is quite schizophrenic. On the one hand, “leftists” are those who pillory and denounce AfDers for their “opinions,” and on the other hand, they set up reporting portals for teachers who are not supposed to like the AfD. The AfD believes that teachers treat them unfairly in class. Children are turned into informers and exploited by the AfD for their own purposes. The biggest problem is this: The AfD thus receives a public database with a list of all teachers who have made critical comments about the party. (…) Even if the AfD doesn't see it that way: their Stasi portal backfired (more on this). The state association of Saxony-Anhalt admitted that of 5,600 reports, 99% were joke reports and only a fraction were probably meant seriously. We also know of cases in which trolls deliberately sent realistic-sounding complaints in order to lead the AfD on the wrong track. And even in serious cases, it can be assumed that criticism of the AfD, which is covered by freedom of expression and the Beutelsbach Consensus, will be confused with the AfD's totalitarian claim of immunity from criticism…”Contribution by Thomas Laschyk from February 7, 2019 at Der Volksverpetzer
– there are also the 8 funniest entries into the AfD spy portal
- Conflict over complaints portal: AfD-critical school principal in Berlin attacked
"The conflict over the complaint portal of the Berlin AfD faction is escalating: The Berlin police are now investigating graffiti and derogatory letters at the Steglitz Fichtenberg-Gymnasium, as a police spokeswoman confirmed on Wednesday. Headmaster Andreas Steiner and the staff had previously filed a criminal complaint for damage to property with a political background. The school has been hostile and slandered since the beginning of the month with three posters and anonymous letters, the teaching staff also announced Wednesday (...) On the night of Friday, unknown people in the area around the school - on trees, on the scaffolding and also in the yard - posted more than 20 letters that were addressed directly to Steiner and the teaching staff: "If you repeatedly try to hide behind your boasting of virtue... it should be clear to every student what a left-wing populist think tank your school is," it says. The school is described as an “ideological multiplier of left-wing dogmas”. Students there supposedly cannot go through a controversial process of forming opinions. The letter ends with “Hail A. Steiner, the anti-racist school leader!” The police are investigating in all directions and do not rule out the possibility that the authors may also be found among the students. (…) Some other headmasters had forbidden colleagues from hanging up this self-accusation along with a list of signatures in the teachers' room. Because collecting signatures violates the neutrality obligation of state employees. Nevertheless, almost 2,000 teachers have now signed there, like Bildet Berlin! recently announced.“We have no obligation to be politically neutral,” said the teachers at the Fichtenberg-Gymnasium. Teachers should be allowed to identify racist, discriminatory, anti-democratic and historical revisionist views….” Article by Martin Klesmann from December 19, 2018 in the Berliner Zeitung online
- Students demonstrate against the AfD reporting portal in Hamburg
“Several hundred people demonstrated in Hamburg on Monday evening against the AfD online portal, on which teachers who are supposedly not politically neutral can be reported. The Education and Science Union (GEW), the Student Chamber and the Teachers' Chamber, among others, called for the demonstration. The police spoke of 500 participants. “The AfD's aim with its portal is not to protect political neutrality in schools, but rather to prevent a critical discussion of the AfD and its positions,” said a statement from the teachers' union. Politicians and school authorities were asked to “strengthen committed teachers and political education”. After an information event in the Curiohaus am Rothenbaum, the demonstration marched through the city center to the AfD's state headquarters in Hamburg's old town…”Report and video from December 3rd, 2018 on NDR

- Legal opinion: AfD portal violates EU law
"... An AfD teacher reporting portal is intended to enable parents and students to report teachers' political statements. However, a legal report from experts from the Magdeburg state parliament shows: The portal violates EU rules. The report, which is available to the "Mitteldeutsche Zeitung", primarily criticizes the passing on of sensitive data. This also included data that allowed conclusions to be drawn about the political opinions of teachers. This is problematic with regard to European data protection law. The EU classifies such personal data as particularly worthy of protection. These should only be collected in exceptional cases. (…) In the report commissioned by the Greens, the lawyers again emphasize that direct influence of the state parliament and its parliamentary groups in school operations is inadmissible. School supervision lies exclusively in the hands of the authorities. (…) Now it should be checked whether the report is a reason to shut down the portal. Saxony-Anhalt’s Education Minister Tullner has therefore announced that he will have the highest data protection officer investigate the case.” Contribution by Alexandra Prinz-Klause on MDR Aktuell from November 29, 2018
- [Petition] #MeinLehrerFetzt – Thank you instead of denunciation!
“We are horrified that in 2018 people can once again be intimidated and silenced, freedom of teaching restricted and young people incited to denounce. In Hamburg, Berlin and Lower Saxony, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has introduced reporting portals for teachers critical of the AfD, with the help of which teachers with alien views and those critical of the AfD are to be denounced and the critical discussion of political content in German schools is to be prevented. I don't want to live in a country where people are spied on and denounced by their fellow human beings. There is no need for ideological reporting centers whose aim is to silence those who think differently. Because – and it seems incredible that this needs to be mentioned separately – we still live in a democratic constitutional state! With my signature, I show solidarity with teachers all over Germany and thank them for their commitment and services to teaching democratic values and social diversity. At the same time, I call on the members of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs to examine and exhaust all legal options to prevent such party-political denunciation…”Petition at change.org
andFurther information and promotions at Stay Behind Foundation
- AfD pillory portals against teachers are illegal
"In the past few weeks, the AfD has launched several pillory portals on which students are supposed to report statements made by their teachers that are critical of the AfD. Such denunciation portals are not only reminiscent of the darkest times in German history, but are also illegal. It is time for something to be done against them. (...) It is clear that teachers must practice party-political neutrality in class. This follows both from service law (Section 33 Para. Sentence 2 of the Civil Service Status Act, BeamtStG) and from The school law of the states is intended to protect lessons from one-sided political influences and to educate students to become responsible citizens. This does not mean that a teacher is not allowed to express himself politically in class and must refrain from making any political statements, but only that he must exercise objectivity and avoid one-sided representations (…) In particular, it cannot be assumed that the processing according to Art. 9 Para. 2 g) GDPR serves a significant (!) public interest makes a specious claim that the “Neutral Schools Hamburg” campaign is intended to strengthen democratic and free discourse in German schools. But as shown, not every critical statement about the AfD violates the obligation of neutrality. In addition, there are already complaints options for everyone involved. The only purpose left is to publicly denounce and intimidate AfD-critical teachers. Conversely, the considerable public interest of teachers in not being denounced outweighs this. The AfD portals for registering teachers therefore do not meet the requirements of Art. 9 GDPR and are in breach of data protection.(…) In addition, because of the pillory effect, these reporting portals promote the violation of the personal rights of the reported teachers if the reports are published…” Contribution by lawyer Christian Solmecke from October 25, 2018 at the law firm Wilde Beuger Solmecke
- [GEW statement] AfD reporting portals: Take a stand!
"... The GEW, many ministers and the media consider the AfD's reporting platforms to be an attempt to intimidate teachers. The GEW does not want denunciation to play a role in society again, as it did during National Socialism and also in the GDR. It does not want fear to be stirred up. We do not want to give the AfD the power to unsettle people. "Show attitude instead of exercising restraint" - with this request, the GEW Hamburg has put itself on the first internet reporting platform of the AfD reacts. I expressly agree with this statement: show an attitude and commitment to democracy, stand up for fundamental rights, and enforce human rights. (…) Teachers are often confronted with violations of the dignity of individuals or entire groups in their teaching. When students are insulted as “gay,” when they are identified as Jews or Muslims because of their religious clothing and are therefore attacked or defamed, then teachers must take a stand. It is the same with the positions of AfD politicians: when “school without racism – school with courage” discriminates, the work of remembrance is described as a “cult of guilt,” the Nazi era is described as “bird shit in history,” or when the federal government’s former integration commissioner, Aydan Özoğuz (SPD), is to be “disposed of in Anatolia” because of her Turkish origins, these are statements that can be dealt with in class…” Statement by GEW chairwoman Marlis Tepe from October 25, 2018
- Petz portal sets a precedent: In more and more federal states, the AfD is setting up platforms for the purpose of reporting unpopular teachers
"... The list threatened to get longer and longer: After Hamburg, Saxony and Baden-Württemberg, an internet platform initiated by the AfD for reporting unpopular teachers was supposed to go online in Brandenburg last Friday. According to Steffen Königer, education policy spokesman for the AfD parliamentary group, the aim was to collect examples of "one-sided indoctrination". But the start of the Brandenburg internet pillory collapsed on Friday and was postponed until this week. Offshoots are also scheduled to be activated in Berlin this Monday, and the same is planned for Saxony-Anhalt, Bavaria, Bremen, Lower Saxony and Rhineland-Palatinate. Critics warn against "snooping" and the promotion of informants and see school peace at risk (...) While students in Hamburg provided the AfD with nonsense reports, there is also successful resistance there The online pillory initiated by state parliament member Stefan Räpple was switched off again after just one day - allegedly due to a hacker attack. It is more likely that the technology was brought to its knees by a virtual flash mob of outraged AfD opponents. The Pirate Party is behind the attack with its website mein-gesetzer-hetzt.de The server is said to have collapsed in the end. This could happen again.The pirates have recently been forwarding the “complaints” to the teacher-SOS.de website, which the Saxon AfD parliamentary group launched ten days ago under the motto “Democracy Project”…” Contribution by Ralf Wurzbacher to Junge Welt on October 22, 2018
– why has no one yet come up with the idea of taking criminal action against this AfD campaign? Parents and teachers in particular should insist on measures to prevent such interference in school operations. The laws offer enough options for this (violation of data protection, violation of personality and coercion of teachers, etc.)