“Grandmas against the right” accuse the school authorities of excluding schools – the minister takes a stand

The “Grandmas Against the Right” in Bad Hersfeld accuse the state education authority in Bebra, Hesse, of having ended their educational work in schools. First, project days at a comprehensive school were canceled, then reading hours at two primary schools, members of the group told the “Hersfelder Zeitung” and the “taz”.

The school authority denies any exclusion. Employee Dirk Beulshausen told the “taz” that the obligation to remain neutral was simply pointed out. Hesse's Minister of Education Armin Schwarz (CDU) has now made it clear that such initiatives could in principle be included as teaching guests. The Greens announced this in the Hessian state parliament on Wednesday.

In March, the group organized a project day for democracy and against racism with a ninth grader at the Niederaula comprehensive school. Further appointments were planned with the school management. After press reports about the day, the school authority received an anonymous complaint, said Ellen Sandrock-Becker from the local group “Grandmas Against the Right”. “As a result, all further dates were canceled,” said Petra Gromann from the organization team. Shortly before the summer holidays, the school authorities also banned reading lessons, citing the neutrality requirement. Previously, at a school principals' conference, warnings had been given against collaborating with the group. No reason was given.

The acting head of the school authority, Marion Vancuylenburg, referred to the “Hersfelder Zeitung” to the Hessian School Act. The school must maintain its distance from “specific daily political action alliances”. External initiatives could complement the transfer of values ​​as guests; there is no right to access. “However, the school itself must not become an uncommented stage for political mobilization.” This was explained to the group in several discussions. She left it open whether the office was acting on instructions from the Ministry of Culture.

“We are not organized along party lines,” Sandrock-Becker now told the “Bad Hersfelder Zeitung”. “Grandmas against the right” went to schools all over Hesse; as far as they know, there are only problems in the Fulda district and now in Hersfeld-Rotenburg. Vancuylenburg also runs the school district in Fulda. “A rogue who thinks evil when the two offices are jointly managed,” said Sandrock-Becker.

The opposition Greens in the state parliament had asked the Ministry of Culture about the case. Referring to the answer that such initiatives could in principle be included as teaching guests, the Green MP Sascha Meier called on the minister to prevent the school authorities from interpreting the neutrality requirement too narrowly. “The neutrality requirement must not serve as an excuse to keep democratic engagement against right-wing extremism out of our schools,” said Meier.

This is not the first time that the initiative has been the subject of a neutrality debate. The Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag mentioned it in February 2025 in a small question about the political neutrality of state-funded organizations. In May, the “Grandmas Against the Right” called on the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs to make it clear that neutrality does not mean remaining silent about racism or contempt for democracy.

It remains unclear whether the group can return to schools. That depends “on the specific design of the operation and the needs on site,” explained VanCuylenburg. Sandrock-Becker said: “We are ready to talk and hope to find a solution.”