Criticism of schools: Teachers sound the alarm – grievances revealed!

Criticism of schools: Teachers sound the alarm – grievances revealed!

In recent weeks, an alarming situation has developed at the Brüder-Scholl Comprehensive School in Göttingen. Teachers have written a clear fire letter to politicians in which they draw attention to the serious grievances at their school. Headmaster Markus Hohmeister had previously addressed the problems surrounding violence, excessive demands on teachers and structural deficiencies in the education system. This situation shows that there is not only a need for action here locally, but also that a far-reaching problem in Germany's schools needs to be addressed. According to a report by Göttingen Tageblatt The demand for more resources and support from politics is unmistakable.

The situation at the Zwilling Scholl Comprehensive School is not isolated. A comprehensive survey by the Robert Bosch Foundation shows that 47% of teachers in German schools report psychological or physical violence among students. Socially disadvantaged schools are particularly hard hit, where teachers often have to act as interpreters or social educators in addition to supervising lessons. daily news also reported that 36% of teachers often feel emotionally exhausted and 27% even consider quitting. The challenges are great and show that the current system is reaching its limits.

Public discussion or silence?

As headmaster Hohmeister emphasizes, the problem cannot be solved quietly. With an incendiary letter, the teachers raise their worrying situation and make it clear that they want to be heard. Nevertheless, Maria Karaus, Head of Schools, asks whether everything that happens in schools should be discussed publicly is a double-edged sword. The teachers feel under pressure: regardless of whether they talk openly about their problems or not, the Zwilling-Scholl comprehensive school suffers from a bad reputation. The school needs quick action from the city and state to provide the urgently needed resources.

When we look back at the survey results, the picture that emerges does not encourage any hope for improvement without profound change. In this context, Dagmar Wolf from the Robert Bosch Foundation speaks of a “sick system”. But despite all the challenges, 75% of teachers show a certain level of satisfaction with their job, and 92% are convinced that students feel comfortable at their school. This shows that despite the difficulties, there is a will for positive change in schools. Bosch Foundation emphasizes that social skills such as empathy and personal responsibility must be brought into focus in order to teach students important values ​​for their later lives.

The way forward

Finally, it remains to be said that the situation at the Zwilling-Scholl comprehensive school is symptomatic of many schools in Germany. Teachers' calls for more support are not only understandable, but necessary to create a positive school environment. The Göttingen school administration is called upon not only to name the problems, but also to take active action. Because the children and young people of today are the adults of tomorrow, and it is up to us to offer them the best possible conditions for this.