Dispute over state influence: state parliament debates schools!

Dispute over state influence: state parliament debates schools!

Today, July 16, 2025, the state parliament in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is at the center of a lively debate about the role of state intervention in schools. This dispute was triggered by two notable cases that the Greifswald Administrative Court judged to be unlawful. The AfD in particular raised the issue in the state parliament, with particular attention being given to an incident in Ribnitz-Damgarten involving a 16-year-old student.

The student was taken out of class because of sharing “content relevant to state security” on the Internet in order to talk about her actions in a prevention discussion. Another case involved a ninth grader who allegedly presented a right-wing extremist “white power” gesture at the Auschwitz memorial and was reprimanded for it. In both cases, the court ruled that the schools' actions were unlawful. The AfD interprets these decisions as evidence of excessive political influence in schools, while Interior Minister Christian Pegel (SPD) makes it clear that the measures were not fundamentally inadmissible, but were viewed as disproportionate.

Political reactions and opinions

Pegel criticizes the AfD, which exploits the individual cases for its political purposes. CDU politician Torsten Renz supports Pegel's view and emphasizes that there is no state indoctrination in schools. Renz also questions the public statement by Education Minister Sabine Oldenburg (Die Linke) about the case of the ninth grader. These discussions also examine the mechanisms and responsibility of the state in the education system, which includes extensive regulatory and control powers.

Education is a central policy area that unites different interests and challenges. The state is the most important actor in the German education system, both as a provider and as a provider of educational institutions. It has a monopoly-like position in the school and university sectors. More than 80% of education funding comes from states and municipalities, which underlines the dependence on government regulations and political decisions. Controversies about school structures and educational content are often part of the public debate, especially in light of the awareness raised by international studies such as PISA.

Security issues and data protection

Another point that must be mentioned in the context of this debate is the security of the schools themselves. In Ribnitz-Damgarten, unknown perpetrators gained unauthorized access to an internal network of the local high school. Such incidents not only raise questions about cyber security, but also highlight the increasing challenges facing educational institutions. The protection of sensitive data is becoming increasingly important, especially at a time when government supervision and control are often controversial.

This debate in the state parliament is not only a reflection of the current political situation, but also an important building block in the larger context of education policy and state influence. As schools attempt to mitigate unrest and uncertainty, the question remains as to how much influence the state should actually have over the education of its citizens. It remains to be seen how these discussions will develop and what solutions politicians will ultimately find.

For further information and detailed reports on the events in Greifswald and state education policy in Germany, you can read the reports from NDR, Mirror and bpb track.