Police investigate

Toilet door removed after threats at school

That's the situation at the middle school at the moment.

(Bild: zVg)

"My nephew no longer dares to go to the toilet because the principal has removed the doors," an aunt of a pupil at secondary school 1 in Haid (Upper Austria) desperately wrote to the "Krone" newspaper. The action was allegedly motivated by threats against pupils. The police are investigating.

"I am contacting you because I am very angry and don't know what to do," an aunt begins her email to the "OÖ-Krone." She wants to remain anonymous to prevent her nephew from getting into trouble at his secondary school, MS 1 in Haid. The reason for her anger is the fact that the door to the boys' toilets has been removed at this educational institution. "My nephew no longer dares to go to the toilet. He cries every week and no longer wants to go to school," says the aunt, whose name is known to the "Krone".

"Crisis case" to blame for missing toilet door
The principal of the secondary school in question does not want to say anything about the case and refers the matter to the Education Directorate. Upon request, the following statement comes from there: "In the course of a crisis at the school and due to a damaged door, the access door to the boys' toilet was temporarily removed. In order to protect the privacy of the pupils, they have been asked not to use the urinals; the toilet cubicles are available without restriction. The door will be reinstalled in the coming days."

My nephew no longer dares to go to the toilet. He cries every week and doesn't want to go to school anymore.

Tante des Schülers

Police are investigating
The police have only confirmed that there have been threats against a pupil at the secondary school and that a boy (14) is under investigation. However, further details are being kept under wraps due to the ongoing investigation. The case started after a complaint was made by the class teacher. According to rumors, the student threatened to kill the girl on social media.

Threatener not suspended
An explosive detail: the threatener is still taking part in lessons "because a suspension relates purely to legal misconduct in a school context and the police investigation has no connection to the school", according to the Education Directorate. However, all support measures are available to the school community to sensitize teachers in dealing with the matter.

Another curious "toilet scare"
Last summer, another curious case involving a school toilet in the Wels-Land district made headlines. After countless acts of vandalism, a school caretaker had secretly filmed the children with a wildlife camera. After 4.5 hours, the "espionage" was discovered and the camera had to be dismantled. The school caretaker was reprimanded and the footage was confiscated. The investigation against him was dropped.

„Krone“-Kommentar

Schweigen um stilles Örtchen

The case about a quiet little place caused loud discussions in the editorial office. The reason was once again the cloak of silence that is often spread more than widely in such cases. This creates confusion and leads to the wildest speculation.

(Bild: Markus Wenzel, adobe.stock.com, Krone KREATIV)

In my opinion, this tactic harms everyone: The education directorate, which doesn't always feel in control of the situation; the school, which fuels rumors even more with its silence - and above all those children who stick to the rules. Once again, they have to bear the brunt of what a few have caused.