It’s amazing how quickly this report went down: Education Minister Stark-Watzinger wants schools to prepare for possible wars. The German teachers’ association would support the demand, according to one Message. “The war in Ukraine is creating a new awareness of military threats, which must also be conveyed in schools.”
Prepare for war?
The discussion on social media sometimes even spilled over into the sense that schools should now be preparing for war. In fact, the wording does not immediately indicate this. Schools would be responsible for preparing for a “possible” event of war.
“Civil defense is immensely important, it also belongs in schools. The goal must be to strengthen our resilience.” She also pointed out that “society (…) as a whole (must) prepare well for crises – from a pandemic to natural disasters to war.”
Germany would not be alone in this. In other countries, dealing with the war issue would be much more “natural”. “Disaster disaster drills are part of everyday life at schools there. We can learn from that.” The Minister of Education wanted to open the door to the Bundeswehr, among other things. According to Stark-Watzinger, she thinks it is important that the “youth officers come to schools and report on what the Bundeswehr is doing for our security.” She couldn’t understand the reservations. It is also about “countering worries and fears.”
This postscript is again astonishing. The Minister of Education should certainly be able to recognize that many people are worried about the war or wars. Whether the statements were just naive or made with suspicion can no longer be decided in retrospect.