When it comes to school closings, politicians have learned a lot from the pandemic, and many people agree on that.
But how can protection against infection and the right to education be reconciled?
In this debate, the tone is sharper, sometimes more desperate.
At least there are constructive suggestions ("This is the matter").
In the event that you want to take a short break from the pandemic and other problems, we particularly recommend November 20th.
We'll tell you at the end of this newsletter ("Good to know") why the day is ideally suited for changing your mind and how this benefits education.
Please send us your criticism and suggestions at kleinepause@spiegel.de.
Kind regards,
Your team from the "Little Break"
That's going on
1. Open Schools - and Open Letters
In a way, we are allowed to participate in the Chancellor’s post.
We receive various open letters to Angela Merkel by email.
They contain urgent - but also contradicting - demands on the subject of corona and school.
The background to this is the decision of the Conference of Ministers of Education last Tuesday and the decision by Merkel and the Prime Minister the next day to impose a far-reaching shutdown, but leave daycare centers and schools open.
One parliamentary group expresses "greatest concerns", "because our children and thus also the general population are irresponsibly endangered," as the Federal Parents' Council and other associations write.
The core of their criticism: the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs does not implement the recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute as binding national guidelines.
The institute had recommended that schools from a certain number of corona cases in the region return to teaching in small groups and in a shift system.
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Elementary school class in Hamburg
Photo: Christian Charisius / dpa
The other parliamentary group shows "great relief" that both the Chancellor and the Conference of Ministers of Education have waived such requirements.
Initiatives such as "Children need children" also warn that the first schools in some Corona hotspots have already closed again or have returned to the alternate model.
"For children, education and care in daycare and school are at least as important as their work is for adults," the parents write.
The extent to which mothers, fathers and teachers are worried about the issue is shown by various articles from the past few days that highlight the pros and cons:
You can read here why parents and teachers' associations are critical of "business as usual".
Our colleague Anja Reumschüssel has researched the particular worries families from risk groups are worried about and what they are fighting for.
A parent representative from Schleswig-Holstein told us why he broke off an online survey on the requirement to wear a mask in class - and how much hatred he got.
OECD Education Director Andreas Schleicher and other scientists warn of the social and economic consequences of school closings.
If you have around an hour, you can watch the entire online debate of the panel of experts entitled "Children need school" here for yourself.
The education journalist Jan-Martin Wiarda considered how the heated debate about education and care, protection against infection and proper ventilation could pacify the minds - and made six and a half suggestions.
In addition, the "Zeit" authors Jeannette Otto and Johanna Schoener collected seven ideas on how to avoid school closings and how lessons can continue under the heading "Beyond the ventilation".
2nd minute's silence for Samuel Paty
On Monday, November 2nd, at 11.15 a.m., many schools in Europe went silent.
The French Ministry of Education had called on the governments of all European countries to observe a minute of silence for the murdered history teacher Samuel Paty.
The 47-year-old was the victim of an attack that the French government considers an Islamist act of terrorism.
Our colleague Tanja Kuchenbecker reports that Samuel Paty was a teacher who defended freedom of expression.
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People gather on Place de la République in Paris to commemorate Samuel Paty
Photo: CHARLES PLATIAU / REUTERS
Many teachers in France would see the act "as an attack on the freedom to learn", writes the colleague.
"They have become aware of what they risk every day: their lives. You can die because you are a teacher."
In the "Süddeutsche Zeitung", a German teacher reports how the attack affects her teaching, what resistance she experiences in her classes and why she only talks about it anonymously.
What is your experience?
Do you see freedom of expression in class at risk?
Feel free to write to kleinepause@spiegel.de
3. What else was there
Incidentally, it also happened a bit apart from the Corona debates: The OECD gave the students in Germany a good report (at least in part) - and not despite, but because of the Pisa results.
Yes, that's actually true.
Because the last Pisa study was not only about reading, math and science, but also about "global competence".
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Global learning: contact with people from different cultures is considered a positive effect
Photo: Oliver Berg / picture-alliance / dpa
And there the young people in Germany performed extremely well in some points - but not in others.
You can find the detailed results here.
And here is an interview with the German Pisa coordinator Kristina Reiss, who classifies this good news and states: "Young people with an immigrant background and those who do not attend high school show very positive attitudes, for example when dealing with other cultures. Other students can benefit from them learn."
Strong.
Good to know
Around a third of parents in Germany rarely or not at all read to their children, according to studies by the Reading Foundation.
Why not?
This is what the Reading Foundation and its supporters from "Zeit" and the "Deutsche Bahn-Stiftung" wanted to know this time.
The result: Many parents do not have the necessary time, but some simply do not dare to read aloud.
It remains a great challenge to break down inhibitions and reservations, said Simone Ehmig, head of the Institute for Reading and Media Research at the Reading Foundation.
The nationwide reading day on November 20 should contribute to this.
On this day, teachers are allowed to throw their lessons over the heap and read to their students from books.
more on the subject
Study: Why parents don't read to their childrenBy Silke Fokken
Family Books for Children: Invisible BondsBy Agnes Sonntag
The only question left is which books you want to read from, in order to immerse yourself in literary worlds with children and leave Corona behind you.
Our colleague Agnes Sonntag regularly reviews children's books, maybe you will find something there.
Have fun reading - and get through this time safely!
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