Under the motto “Democracy needs education – education needs democracy”, the education union GEW Saxony, the State Student Council and the State Parents’ Council presented their joint election appeal for the state election on Wednesday, August 14, in Dresden. They expect state politicians in particular to strengthen democracy education and provide more support for students, teachers and parents in preventing and dealing with extremist incidents.
“The joint appeal for elections by the interest groups representing students, parents and teachers is a clear signal for democracy and education,” says Burkhard Naumann, Chairman of the GEW Saxony. “In view of social division and the rise of radical forces, we need a joint commitment to freedom and democracy in schools more than ever. The education union GEW Saxony, the State Student Council Saxony and the State Parent Council Saxony are calling on people to go to the state elections in Saxony on September 1st and use their own voices to stand up for good education, diversity and democracy.
Teachers are not neutral, but represent the values of our free and democratic basic order. They must be supported to decisively oppose extremism, anti-Semitism, racism, glorification of violence and inhumane statements. The aim is to create an environment in schools in which all children and young people are respected and valued, regardless of their origin, their environment or their beliefs.”
The joint election appeal.
The election appeal itself states: “Our democratic community is not a static structure: without active action it becomes unstable and fragile. Creating an open, diverse and discursive society is an ongoing task and an everyday practice for all of us. And just like any other practice, democracy must be learned and practiced. Education is an existential necessity for a functioning democracy because ‘democracy is the only form of government that must be learned’ (Oskar Negt)
And this democracy must be lived and learned in education. Especially now, at a time when political tensions and right-wing extremist movements are increasing, daycare centers, schools and universities are mirrors of society. Social upheaval, lack of integration and local overburdening in the social space also have an impact on our educational institutions. The brutalization and social division are fed by those who threaten our open society.
Worries and fears are exploited, trigger points are specifically addressed and the public debate is deliberately blurred. It is all the more important now that everyone becomes active, gets involved and participates in democratic practice.”
“Schools cannot and should not be apolitical places. Students must learn democratic values on the basis of the free and democratic basic order and be introduced to political decision-making,” explains Amy Kirchhoff, chair of the State Student Council.
“Social values such as cosmopolitanism and diversity must also be conveyed and a connection to the past must be established so that students can form a well-founded opinion. To achieve this, political education in schools must be strengthened and developed into a cross-cutting issue. Schools must not be places where people look away from extremist and violent incidents. Consistent legal prosecution is needed in schools.”
And Jan Zippel, Chairman of the State Parents Councilemphasises: “In order for democracy to develop and develop as a practice in a society, there must be structures, spaces and opportunities in which the experience of self-efficacy in helping to shape and improve the community can be had. Participation committees in schools are a very important element in this.
Negotiating good solutions together in a discourse makes democracy tangible and strengthens trust in the forces on the ground. We must strengthen and expand the participation committees at our schools for parents, students and employees in order to provide low-threshold and inclusive offers for everyone involved. Closely linked to this, supplementary projects on democracy education are of great importance.
Experiencing history, diverse living environments and other perspectives shapes one’s own personal development. Schools are dependent on extracurricular learning locations and external partners for prevention and support in crisis situations. The Free State’s task must be to ensure long-term funding, good working conditions and planning so that schools can build partnerships and develop viable concepts.”
