By Sebastian Geisler
That was just missing… The self-proclaimed “last generation” climate gluers apparently want to systematically recruit new activists in German schools, with lectures on “civil resistance” to win new comrades-in-arms for the mostly illegal actions.
As the “World on Sunday” reported that there was a digital meeting of representatives of the “last generation” on Tuesday with around two dozen participants. There were students, teachers, a theologian and a farmer. Appropriate plans were discussed.
Guidelines on how to perform in schools
► Accordingly, the activists wanted to be invited to the facilities by teachers, directors and alliances such as “Teachers for Future”. A PowerPoint template entitled “Civil Resistance Yesterday and Today” (41 slides) should be used for the presentations. It features prominently: climate activist Aimée van Baalen, who is carried away by police officers during an adhesive campaign.
► There is even a 13-page guide on how to perform in schools. The activists should tell the students things like: “If we continue like this, humanity will die out completely.” Appropriate performances in schools have already taken place!
“Mainly” high school students were part of the target group. These could network with their smartphones with the climate stickers. As the “WamS” further reports, the activists apparently even want to get to elementary school students. “We also had inquiries from elementary schools, that’s also a possibility,” the newspaper quoted. The thought: In this way the opinion of the parents about the children could be influenced.
Sharp criticism of the agitation in our schools comes from politics.
► Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (45, FDP) does not believe in schools allowing climate protection activists from the Last Generation group to give lectures in classrooms. A number of people continued to commit crimes and repeatedly sowed skepticism about representative democracy, the FDP politician told the “Welt am Sonntag”.
Such ideas can be critically discussed and classified in class. “But no one who represents such ideas should be rolled out the red carpet in a school,” says Buschmann.
► The CDU also rejects such appearances in schools. “Our schools must not be misused as a platform for a radical group whose members do not shy away from criminal acts,” said Thorsten Frei (49, CDU) of the “WamS”. Members of the Last Generation have long since left democratic discourse, so the group cannot be a partner for schools.
Teachers’ association warns of activities
► Heinz-Peter Meidinger, President of the German Teachers’ Association, sees the permissible limit being exceeded when “school management or teachers invite organizations and speakers to the school who explicitly promote participation in illegal activities and use the school as a quasi-recruitment scene”.
The group is planning massive street blockades and other protest actions in Berlin in the last week of April and well into May. “From Monday, April 24th, we will peacefully bring Berlin to a standstill with street blockades,” says the website.