The well-being of children was endangered at the renowned Vienna Ballet Academy. This has now been confirmed by a special commission set up by the Austrian government with its final report. Minister of Culture Alexander Schallenberg spoke of "harrowing conditions".
The commission had been following reports since April that a teacher appears to have humiliated and abused her students for years. Hurtful remarks about her appearance were said to be the order of the day. Some girls are said to have been driven into anorexia. Psychological support and nutritional advice, on the other hand, were virtually none at the academy.
The commission should investigate who was responsible for the conditions. In parallel, the prosecutor's office determined in the case.
Lack of awareness of the problem
The investigation commission has now confirmed to the management level at the Ballet Academy that it lacks awareness of the problem of child protection and child welfare. For the Commission, it is clear that the children and young people are not adequately protected against "discrimination, neglect and health impairment".
On the teachers' side, on the other hand, the report complained about the lack of awareness of border crossings. That would have shown "degrading comments, the type of food regulations, (supposedly) aesthetic requirements and an underdeveloped communication structure".
The commission found that children were advised to start smoking to keep the figure. Children were addressed with first names and clothing size. This behavior has been shown by individual teachers over a longer period of time, said the commission chairwoman Susanne Reindl-Krauskopf.
Hardly any caregivers for boarding school children
The commission also criticized that the pupils lack caregivers and a family atmosphere. This is particularly relevant because four out of five children come from abroad and go to boarding school at a young age. Around 130 schoolchildren aged between ten and 18 are currently studying at the ballet academy, which is considered a stepping stone to a career on the big stage.
The commission expressed harsh criticism of the management of the State Opera and Ballet Academy. The quality control by these two superordinate bodies is "as good as non-existent", the report continues. In addition, decision-making processes are not clearly understandable. Overall, "a situation of blurring responsibilities" had arisen.
State Opera is more concerned with reputation than child welfare
The State Opera in turn rejected the allegations. Many measures have been taken. The situation has already improved fundamentally.
The Commission did appreciate these steps. However , the measures gave the impression "that the motivation for the changes is not primarily for the benefit of children and adolescents", but to be as active as possible in the public eye.