Air filters for schools: Tutzing withdraws municipal council resolution

The Tutzing municipal council revoked the resolution it took at the end of July to purchase ventilation devices in schools.

First of all, there should be no tendering and no purchase of room fans for elementary and middle school as well as for the elementary school in Traubing.

The new resolution also includes a mandate to the municipal administration to look for a sustainable solution.

Tutzing - So far there are no devices that meet the guidelines, said Robert Ritzl from Weilheim's engineering office Landgraf, who asked companies on behalf of the community and has already prepared a tender: "Such devices are still being built."

The decisions regarding filter devices in schools differ in the municipalities of the district.

Quite a few schools are receiving or have already received them.

In some municipalities, they were rejected - especially mobile air filters, usually with reference to further tests and better solutions with permanently installed systems.

The Tutzing municipal council took its first decision in July despite many concerns. The local politicians were just as unconvinced of the success of the devices as they were of the certainty that they would guarantee classroom instruction. Not least because of reports of “great pressure from parents”, the local council decided to buy it.

Doubts also arose in the most recent meeting. "I was of the opinion that it is precisely those parents whose children cannot be vaccinated who want it," said Caroline Krug (ÖDP). Engineer Ritzl was the decisive factor in revoking the decision. The delivery time for central room air filters, which are sufficient for a classroom, is around 40 weeks, reported the project manager. For small appliances, four of which would be needed per room, it would take six to ten weeks, but Ritzl advised against them. The noise associated with the devices can quickly become unbearable and the volume can reach 65 decibels. Maintenance is also time-consuming.

Mayor Marlene Greinwald also warned of other problems such as odor and electro-smog. "We always have well-ventilated classrooms," said Ritzl. In any case, the windows would have to be opened more often than before: “The filter does not replace any ventilation measure.” It is frightening, “in which air the children had to learn up to now,” commented Greinwald. Christine Nimbach (non-attached) called the ventilation devices a “placebo”: “You only need it to calm teachers and over-anxious parents.” School is not a place where you have to be afraid that the children will be infected: “They develop an immune system. "

Bernd Pfitzner (Greens) criticized that the state government is striving for a two-class system: If a corona case occurs, the whole class will be sent to quarantine, according to the Ministry of Education, there will only be exceptions for classes with ventilation devices: “That’s for me intolerable. ”The children were forgotten in the pandemic from the beginning.

Greinwald contradicted: As far as they know, it is only about the children sitting next to them.

Lorenz Goslich