Vorarlberg schools start year under headscarf ban and new rules

Schools in Vorarlberg began the new year on Monday under new rules including a headscarf ban for girls under 14, revised suspension procedures and additional staff at 11 schools. ORF reported that 56,212 students are starting the school year in the state.

Under the headscarf ban, students who continue to wear a headscarf must remove it when asked. Fines of between 150 and 800 euros may ultimately be imposed, and can be issued more than once.

Vorarlberg education director Heiko Richter said schools would follow a graduated procedure. Students would first be asked to remove the headscarf. If they refused, the school would speak with their parents. The final step would be a report to the district authority. “A discreet approach is important to us so that the student is not stigmatised,” Richter said at a news conference on Thursday.

Schools in Austria’s eastern states, where classes began a week earlier, have already gained initial experience with the rule. The teachers’ union said it had not caused major problems, although primary and lower secondary schools in Vienna had reported initial difficult cases.

New support for suspended students

Students suspended for more than three days will receive mandatory suspension support under the new rules. A binding support plan will be drawn up for each suspended child, with parents or guardians expected to participate.

From a suspension lasting four days, students will no longer simply be excluded from classes. They will spend up to 10 hours a week taking part in psychosocial measures or reintegration projects inside or outside a school.

If a student aged 15 or older is at risk of dropping out, “perspective meetings” with the young person, their parents or guardians and a trusted teacher will also be mandatory. The meetings will address the reasons for the possible dropout and further education or training options.

More staff at 11 schools

Eleven schools in Vorarlberg will receive additional staff because they have particularly high numbers of children requiring support. The programme, known as the Chancenbonus, will provide two full-time positions at Bregenz-Rieden primary school, its director, Brigitte Krasnig, told ORF Vorarlberg.

The school will decide how to fill the positions. They could be taken by teachers, school social workers or school psychologists.

Schools across Austria will also have more freedom in German-language support. They can decide whether to establish separate German support classes or teach children with difficulties in German entirely within their regular classes.

Fewer first-year pupils

Overall student numbers in Vorarlberg are up by almost 1 percent. Primary schools are seeing a slight decline, while middle schools, vocational schools, academic secondary schools and vocational secondary schools are growing.

The number of first-year pupils is down 3.1 percent from last year. A total of 5,578 children are starting school for the first time, 179 fewer than in the previous year.

A total of 379 teachers are starting work at schools in Vorarlberg. They include 194 with formal teacher training, 71 career changers and 114 working under special contracts. The state said teaching provision was largely secured at the start of the year. Seven positions, equivalent to almost four full-time posts, remain vacant at compulsory and vocational schools. Federal schools are short of four positions, or around two full-time posts.