- AfDler sparks debate with statements in front of students
Students Explore State Parliament, Speak with Members - Such Political Education Formats Are Indeed Established. For Brandenburg's AfD Member Dennis Hohloch - Himself a Teacher - A Discussion Round with Elementary School Children Had Unintended Consequences. He Spoke to 9- to 12-Year-Olds About Group Rapes and Migration.
Other factions react angrily and call for consequences. State Parliament President Ulrike Liedtke (SPD), who accuses Hohloch of violating rules and surprising the students, invited the AfD politician for a private talk. A debate about possible consequences is ongoing.
In general, the question keeps arising: Should politicians of the AfD, who often polarize quickly, be invited to discussions with students and events at schools? Are teachers and their classes well enough prepared, and at what age do discussions with members make sense?
The AfD is considered a suspected right-wing extremist case in Brandenburg according to the Constitution Protection. In Saxony, Thuringia, and Saxony-Anhalt, it is classified as securely right-wing extremist, meaning it supposedly pursues anti-constitutional goals.
State Parliament Committed to Neutrality
State Parliament President Liedtke does not understand Hohloch's remarks because he did not consider the age or knowledge level of the students, as she said. The so-called Beutelsbacher Consensus, which sets guidelines for political education of students such as a "Surprise Ban", forms the basis for the rules in the state parliament. "The rule that students should not be surprised was broken here," Liedtke is convinced. She cannot exclude individual members or factions from such events due to the neutrality requirement. However, she wants to focus more on the formats for children and youth, it was said.
Yellow Card for AfD Parliamentarian?
"He got the yellow card," said the project leader of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation and office manager in Saxony, Benjamin Winkler. "Political education with children and youth should follow the rules of the Beutelsbacher Consensus. If there is no improvement, the state parliament should think about not allowing such people to participate in events with children or youth."
Schools Struggle with AfD Handling
The Education and Science Union (GEW) knows controversies regarding whether school leaders should exclude the - democratically elected - AfD. They consider it important to seek external advice and support for good preparation for the discussion rounds.
In federal states where the constitution protection classifies the AfD as securely right-wing extremist, cooperation between schools and the party is ruled out, as the educational mission of schools is committed to the goals of the Basic Law, said Winkler of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation. "Nevertheless, many schools struggle with handling the AfD, and not all decline the party's invitation to discussions with students."
Hohloch: Format Not Suitable for Elementary School Students
After the allegations, the 35-year-old AfD MP Hohloch stated that, in his view, these formats made no sense for the age of primary school children. "I would never go to the state parliament with a 4th grade class," he told dpa. Usually, MPs' discussions involve 8th graders. However, he did not regret raising the issue of group rapes, as MPs from other parties had tried to indoctrinate the children. After the student round in July, he also said on TikTok that he wanted to continue clarifying the security situation in the country.
The state parliament should examine sanctions and revise student formats
Other factions believe that the state parliament presidency and administration should take action against misconduct and revise event formats involving students. SPD MP Uwe Adler believes it would be sensible for the state administration to also exercise its house rights to remove MPs from the premises. The CDU faction stated: "It must now be examined how such a clear violation of existing rules should be punished. The presidency must consult on this."
"Statements aimed at overwhelming and instilling fear in primary school children with topics like war violence or sexual violence, which they haven't yet encountered, are highly problematic and cross boundaries," said Green faction leader Petra Budke. She and SPD politician Adler were present at the meeting, while other factions were not.
Improve addressing of youth?
According to dpa information, not all factions are represented in such student discussions throughout the year. However, the factions speak of high interest in student events. The far-right AfD party, for instance, wants to specifically target young people, for example on social media channels.
The Anne Frank educational center in Frankfurt am Main called on other parties to strengthen their activities on the video platform TikTok. Their weak presence there gives the impression that the AfD is primarily concerned with the issues and fears of young people. The project leader at the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, Winkler, also said that some AfD politicians are better trained than others in rhetoric and addressing youth.
The Commission, following the incident, might consider implementing stricter guidelines for politicians participating in discussions with students to ensure age-appropriate content. The Commission's decision regarding Hohloch's conduct and future involvement in such events is a topic of ongoing debate.
Understanding the need for neutrality, State Parliament President Liedtke is limited in her ability to exclude certain members or factions from student events, as outlined in the Beutelsbacher Consensus.
