Teachers at an elementary school in Germany have appealed to parents for help in dealing with "extreme physical violence" from young students. With disciplinary measures failing, teachers are also turning to the police.
This scene has been stagedImage: picture-alliance/dpa/U. Baumgarten
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Frequent fighting on the playground and in classrooms, children running out of class and leaving school, as well as "permanent" disruptions have turned normal class time into a daily nightmare for an elementary school in central Germany, southeast of Hanover.
Teachers at Aue-Fallstein elementary school have called on parents to help in dealing with violence and disruptive behavior from even their youngest students, local media reported on Friday.
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The teachers sent parents a letter shortly before the winter break detailing issues which have been plaguing the school since the beginning of the school year, local newspaper Volksstimme and regional public broadcaster MDR reported.
The principal of the school, located near the town of Osterwieck in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, declined to comment on the issues outlined in the letter. Parents, however, said teachers made the right decision by sending out the letter.
"This is about violence in the school and sabotage," parents' council member Mandy Bähsel told MDR. She added that "children might not even dare to go to school, because they're afraid of classmates because they've been beaten."
She added that there were children in the first, second and third grades at the school that don't respect teachers or other students.
Some kids are thrilled, others dread it, but they can't avoid it. The first day of school in Germany is full of rituals - some of which date back hundreds of years.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/P. Steffen
A cone full of presents
The most important part of every German child's first day of school is the "Schultüte," or school cone. Apparently the thought of attending school every day for the next 12-13 years has to be "sweetened" with candy and presents - a tradition that dates back to the early 19th century. Parents fill the cones, either homemade or purchased, with treats, school supplies and small gifts.
Image: imago/Kickner
The start of a new phase
Most children in Germany are six years old when they start school in August or September, depending on which state they live in. The majority of them have already spent a few years in daycare or pre-school, which is not part of the public school and is less pedagogical in nature. For kids in Germany - and often their parents too -, first grade is a big adjustment.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/S.Khan
Just the right backpack
Ahead of the first day of school, parents buy their new first-grader a backpack, known as a "Schulranzen." They're often made with a square frame to make sure papers don't get bent and snacks don't get squished. Later, their jeans brand will be important, but for first-graders, it's crucial to have the trendiest design on their backpack. Star Wars and Superman never go out of style.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
The school essentials
After they get their square backpack, it will need to be filled with pens, pencils, rulers and folders ahead of the first day. In Germany, particularly younger children often don't have lunch at school. Instead, they have a mid-morning snack time and go home or to daycare for a late lunch. To transport their "Pausenbrot," or "break bread," they'll need an appropriate box.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/F. Gentsch
A day to remember
Many kids around the world pose for a first day of school photo. In Germany, they hold up their unopened "Schultüte" - which is often larger than they are - along with a sign reading something like "My first day of school." For many children, it's not the highlight of their big day.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Hirschberger
Send-off with a blessing
The first day of school in Germany doesn't start with school - but with a special ceremony. Parents, relatives and godparents are invited to join in. An ecumenical church service is usually included in the tradition, giving the young pupils a special blessing as they mark a right of passage and embark on their educational journey. Some schools offer an interreligious ceremony for Muslim pupils.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Guidance from those with experience
During the ceremony, older children or teachers often give a small performance and explain to the newcomers how school works. In some schools, first-graders are assigned a buddy from third or fourth grade to show them the ropes.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/P. Steffen
Make yourself at home
A tour of the school is included in the introductory festivities and first-graders are shown their new classrooms, which are labeled "1A," "1B," "1C," etc. depending on the size of the school. This chalkboard reads, "Welcome, class 1A."
Image: picture alliance/dpa/G. Kirchner
The family get-together
After the ceremony at school, families organize their own celebrations. Grandparents, relatives, godparents and friends are invited for a meal or cake to see the youngster of honor off into the brave new world of education. The first-graders themselves probably get annoyed at all the head patting and cheek squeezing - but they usually get a few presents to make up for it.
Image: picture alliance/R. Goldmann
The second day of school
After the ceremony is over, the cake has been eaten and the cone of goodies unpacked, the first day of school draws to a close. The next day, the first-graders have to find their new classrooms for their first lesson. Elementary school in Germany includes grades one to four. After that, pupils move on to one of three different levels of secondary schools, depending on their academic performance.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/P. Steffen
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Classroom 'sabotage' and 'physical violence'
According to Volksstimme, teachers detailed a long list of issues in their letter, including "extreme physical violence in class and during recess" as well as "sabotaging class time through permanent disruptions and brawls."
Some students also "left class without permission" and derailed class by not showing up or "by hiding on school grounds," the paper reported, citing the letter.
Sources told the Volksstimme that there were cases where children would simply leave school or run away while walking between the village and the school's gym. Some students also reportedly attacked classmates on the school bus.
Volksstimme noted that out of all the 163 students at the school, only one child has a family with an immigrant background, and that the students who were acting out came from wealthy and poorer families alike.
With disciplinary measures like suspensions and mandatory essays failing to make an impact on the students' behavior, the teachers said they would now resort to stricter measures.
When a child violates the rules, parents must now promptly pick up their child from school — a request that had been previously ignored by some parents, according to the Volksstimme report. Students may also face a five-day suspension.
For particularly severe cases involving physical injuries, the police and ambulance services will also be called in the future.
One parent said young students in first, second and third grade were already showing signs of violenceImage: imago/photothek/F. Gaertner
Osterwieck police commissioner Gerd Lohse told Volksstimme that authorities were already aware of problems at the school and were ready to help. He said local police already planned on visiting the school's classrooms to make it clear to students what can happen when they run off from school.
"The teacher's responsibility for the children ends at the school fence. Outside of the school grounds, parents are responsible for their child," Lohse told the paper.
Saxony-Anhalt's state school board told MDR and Volksstimme that the teachers at Aue-Fallstein elementary school would soon receive special training and that "an analysis of the cause is necessary" in order to address the situation.
As for the children, an unnamed parent told MDR: "It's the same everywhere, I think, that it's getting crazier ... it starts somewhere in elementary school."
