Laura Nickel & Max Teske: Rechtsruck im Klassenzimmer
Racism, hate speech, violence against “leftist scum,” gay people, and immigrants, and open Holocaust denial—this was the reality of everyday life at their school for teachers Laura Nickel and Max Teske. Horrified and determined to take action, in 2023 they published an open letter in which they denounced “a wall of silence” as well as the lack of support for schools from government agencies, politicians, and parents. After the letter was published, the two received solidarity and praise, but also faced intense hostility. Her story, her experiences, and the striking accounts from other teachers and students show just how much children in school are now exposed to the risk of far-right indoctrination and threats based on their background, sexuality, or political views. This is a problem that is still underestimated and affects schools throughout Germany. This book is both thought-provoking and inspiring, encouraging us to take action and shape the world around us in such a way that our children can continue to live in a democracy in the future.
Laura Nickel has gained experience as a teacher in various types of schools for over 10 years and has been serving as principal of an elementary school since 2024. Together with Max Teske, she published an open letter in the spring of 2023 about far-right conditions at their school in Brandenburg, which made headlines nationwide. As a result, they were invited by the Federal President on the one hand, and accused of “slandering their own institution” on the other. On the one hand, both were invited by the Federal President, and on the other, they were accused of being traitors. Together with other activists from the region, they founded the coalition “Schools for More Democracy.”
A joint event with the Heinrich Böll Foundation Saxony-Anhalt and Literaturhaus Magdeburg e.V. as part of the “Und Nu?!” series
The organizers reserve the right to exercise their right to refuse entry and to deny access to or remove from the event any individuals who have previously been known to use sexist, racist, nationalist, anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim, or other hateful language or symbols. Please refer to our house rules for details.
