Two teachers at a public high school in eastern Germany tell the AP they’ve been run out of their jobs in the small town of Burg by Nazi teenagers and their parents after trying in vain to educate the far right bullies in the school about the country’s horrific, genocidal past.
“Teachers and students who openly fight against far-right students and teachers fear for their safety. The problem has to be recognized and openly fought,” Laura Nickel and Max Teske had written in an open letter published by a local newspaper prior to their exodus. “Schools should be places free of fear, full of open-mindedness and safety for everyone and cannot provide a home for the enemies of democracy.” A letter from an anonymous group of parents, probably a German chapter of Moms for Liberty, called for the two to be fired. Stickers bearing Nickel and Teske’s pictures with “Piss off to Berlin” started were plastered on lampposts near the high school.
Teske and Nickel called it quits two weeks ago as the school year ended. “We will continue to be loud, we will continue to make a political impact, and won’t let the far right win,” Teske said, even though she and her coworker… maybe he’s her boyfriend too, not clear… kind of did let them win.