Stubborn parents have been bothering the judiciary and the authorities for some time now: they don’t send their children to school, but they also don’t meet the requirements for home education. The problem is virulent in some federal states. The Ministry of Education admits that the requirements are unclear.
The number of proceedings and complaints regarding violations of compulsory school attendance has exploded in some federal states. Also in Tyrol! As reported, 22 Tyrolean children have disappeared from the school system. The parents do not meet the requirements for home schooling. Nevertheless, they no longer send the children back to school. Those affected respond to punishments from the district authorities with a flood of complaints to the state administrative court. For comparison: one complaint was registered in 2020 and 131 in the previous year. This is not a Tyrolean phenomenon. A similar picture emerges in several federal states: stubborn parents are a major concern for the authorities and the judiciary. Minister promises further tightening measures The “Krone” confronted Education Minister Martin Polaschek (ÖVP) with the worrying development. Responsibility for enforcing compulsory schooling lies with the ministry, but also with the education directorates in the states. The district authorities were brought on board for enforcement. Polaschek admits that there are probably one or two inaccuracies in the formulation of compulsory schooling. And he holds out the prospect of further tightening: “The need for further legal development is being examined.” When asked whether the possibility of home education itself should not be reconsidered, the Education Minister responds by pointing out that the approval of home education has been tightened up were introduced last year. But there could be new requirements there too. “The ministry is in the process of evaluating the innovations and defining any potential for further development,” it says.
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