Since the corona pandemic, criminal cases for breaching compulsory education have increased sharply. State administrative courts heard 724 cases in August. That is almost fourteen times as many as in 2019 and almost five times as many as in 2022. An example is the refusal to take the external exam.
In other cases, the students stayed at home, even though the Department of Education had not approved home education. “We do what society does. A few years ago, we had a bigger wave of no-smoking laws. Now we have a post-Covid wave in the proceedings,” said Albin Larcher, vice president of the Tyrolean Administrative Court.
Violations of compulsory education have increased in all states, with the exception of Vienna, as the “Standard” reported on Friday. Most were registered this year in Upper Austria (270), Lower Austria (147) and Salzburg (72). The fewest violations of compulsory education occurred in Styria (36) and Vorarlberg (28). In Vorarlberg there may also be no clear connection to the corona pandemic, such as a protest by parents against the protective measures up to the refusal of school. In addition, all procedures there concern only one family.
Fine between 110 and 440 euros
Those who violate their child’s compulsory education can expect a fine of between 110 and 440 euros. Parents in Austria can, in principle, teach their children at home, but the students must then prove through an exam that they have achieved the learning objectives. This is also the case when children and young people go to private schools without public status and without a diploma.
Those who fail must re-enter a public school the following year. In addition, the education department can prohibit home lessons in advance “if it is very likely that the lessons are not of equal value.” Another reason would be endangering the well-being of the child in the parental home.
Nationally, approximately 2,400 children and young people are deregistered from home education every year. In 2021/2022, this number will more than triple, but even that is only about one percent of schoolchildren through ninth grade. Since the rules have been tightened, the numbers have fallen again.
Source: Krone
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