"Should be banned"

“Gender madness” in school textbook outrages the FPÖ

A text from a book used in class is causing a stir in Burgenland. The Freedom Party is sharply critical and demands: "This should be banned from schools!"

Performances by drag queens in Viennese schools have repeatedly caused discussion and outrage on the part of the FPÖ in the past. Now a school textbook that is also used in Burgenland's educational institutions is making the "blue blood" boil.

Leo becomes Jennifer
"German Lesson 1" contains a story that pupils have to read to solve a task. The text is about a boy called Leo who decides one day to be a girl called Jennifer and then complains to his mother that there are no dresses or pink clothes in the wardrobe (see facsimile). One of the tasks of the exercise for the pupils - first grade middle school - is to find words with similar meanings. The text was originally published in a children's book in 2020.

This passage caused outrage among the Freedom Party.

(Bild: zVg)

"Disturbing content"
For the Freedom Party, the text is an attack on traditional values and they speak of "gender madness". "This is not education - this is a perfidious agenda that aims to alienate our children from their roots and their family," says Daniel Jägerbauer, the regional party secretary, indignantly. Pupils are confronted with "confusing and disturbing content that shakes their identity and world view". The Freedom Party member reports traumatized children and shocked parents. He believes that the SPÖ state councillor for education, Daniela Winkler, has a role to play: "Such content should be banned from schools."

Book approved by the ministry
Winkler's office refers to the Education Directorate. They state that "Deutschstunde 1" was published by Veritas-Verlag and that the books were written by an experienced team of authors and teachers. The books are on the approved textbook list and have therefore been approved for schools by the Ministry of Education.

In use throughout Austria
"Deutschstunde 1" is used throughout Austria. "One of the school's tasks is to discuss and moderate all social developments and their challenges, and this is what the school does here," explains the Education Directorate. If there really is an uproar among parents and guardians, this criticism will be taken on board.

Publisher defends itself against criticism
The Veritas publishing house is also unable to understand the liberal outrage. The children's book from which this text is taken was awarded the Austrian Children's and Youth Book Prize 2021, among others. The aim is to open up different perspectives and realities of life to pupils in an age-appropriate, literary form. The publisher firmly rejects the accusation that a "perfidious agenda" is being pursued: "Our task as an educational media publisher is to enable pupils to engage with language and society in a broad, critical and differentiated way."