Scandal in Hamburg: Why schools should do without silence!

Scandal in Hamburg: Why schools should do without silence!

The Hamburg school authority is at the center of a violent controversy. On the occasion of the anniversary of the devastating Hamas attack on Israel, a letter was sent to all schools in Hamburg that made great waves. It called for this to refrain from grief and requests for grief, which was perceived as inappropriate in many circles. The CDU in Hamburg described this as a tangible scandal, while party leader Dennis Thering found clear words: "Where, if not at school, there is a room for grief coping?"

The school -political landscape is therefore considerably faltering after school senator Ksenija Bekeris (SPD) distanced herself from this controversial letter. She announced that the content of the letter is checked both in terms of content and formally and consequences are drawn. "This newsletter is processed in terms of content and formally," she said by her spokesman and emphasized that the letter was sent without your approval.

content of the letter and its reactions

The letter, about which the "picture" first reported, called on to refrain from "large gestures" and silent. Instead, creative alternatives were proposed, such as the handicrafts of 1,000 cranes of hope. "On the contrary, we are of the opinion that the silence and other forms of mourning have to be made possible," said Peter Albrecht, the spokesman for the school authority. The central message of the letter not only had technical details, but also touched emotional dimensions that many people in the city considered uninancing.

Another point of the controversy is the lack of coordination between the State Institute for Teacher Education, which had sent the letter, and the school authority. Usually there is a largely independent design of educational content, but in such a sensitive case, an agreement should have been necessary. Albrecht noted that "with such an explosive and highly political topic" it would have been better if a coordination with the school authority had been made.

background of the Hamas attack

On October 7, 2023, there was an attack by the radical Islamist Hamas and other groups, in which over 1,100 people were killed in Israel and about 250 were delayed as hostages into the Gaza strips. This brutal incident was the trigger for the continued Gaza war. The emotional burden and grief for the victims are deeply rooted, which gave the call not to assume any forms of commemorations, gave an additional sharpness.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) was also present in a top -class memorial event on Monday evening in the Hohe Weide synagogue in Eimsbüttel, who underlined the importance of commemoration with his statement. The assembly emphasized the urgency of preserving both the sacrifices' memory and recognizing the current challenges that arise from this story.

The reactions to the letter and the political discussion show how strongly the events in the Middle East influence public opinion and the education system in Germany. School senator Bekeris announced that the processing of this incident will take place as part of a comprehensive discussion. "We are in conversation with many participants to also clarify the position," she said in an NDR podcast.

For more information and details on this topic, the article on www.ndr.de to read.