As of: March 5, 2024, 7:01 p.m
By: Barbara Kamisli, Theresa Novak
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The Berchtesgaden Alps are a place of longing for many skiers and hikers.
© IMAGO/Sven-Erik Arndt
What was planned as a relaxed skiing holiday in the Berchtesgaden Alps turned out to be more of a school trip with an avalanche of viruses for 55 of the 114 students at IGS Guxhagen.
Kassel/Guxhagen district – fever, cough, aching limbs, stomach problems: What was planned as a relaxed skiing holiday in the Berchtesgaden Alps turned out to be more of a school trip with an avalanche of viruses for 55 of the 114 students (grade 7) at IGS Guxhagen.
Children from the old Kassel district also attend the school in the Schwalm-Eder district.
“Illnesses on school trips are not unusual, but they have never happened to this extent,” says headmaster Jürgen Werner.
The topic has now spread throughout the district and is making waves.
Parents rate the school trip to Schönau am Königssee very differently.
Everything from “great trip” to “unreasonable” is included.
Whirlwind during skiing: Doctor examined children during school trip
The exact cause cannot be said; the local doctor suspected that children became infected during the bus ride or in their rooms.
In his opinion, Werner explains, it could be that some children went on the school trip already sick.
“As a school, we ask that parents act responsibly and not send sick children on school trips.
This also applies to daily lessons.”
Nine children were picked up by their parents during the week-long trip.
“We sat in the car for a total of thirteen and a half hours,” reports a mother from Fuldabrück.
She teamed up with another mother whose child also got sick on the school trip.
“The mother’s heart was simply bleeding, so we decided to set off despite the 630-kilometer route.”
Students from IGS Guxhagen fell ill while skiing in the Buchenhaus: The youth and leisure facility of the Schwalm-Eder district is located in Schönau am Königssee.
Archi © Brigitte Müller-Neumann
The mother doesn't blame the school.
“The children just became infected among each other.
Of course it was stupid, but there’s nothing you can do about it.”
But there are also critical voices among parents.
The hygienic conditions in the accommodation, the “Beech House”, are poor, there is mold in the bathroom, the bed linen is dirty and the toilets are yellowed.
“It’s no wonder that you get sick under these conditions,” says a father.
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The Buchenhaus is a youth and leisure facility in the Schwalm-Eder district.
Children from IGS Guxhagen have been going there for years with the aim of learning to ski.
Parents pay around 450 euros for the school trip – including a ski pass and ski course.
Hygienic deficiencies on a school trip?
“At the beginning of their stay, the children were asked by the property management to immediately report any defects to the property management or the teachers,” says headmaster Werner about the allegations of poor hygiene on site.
“A duvet was reported to be defective and was replaced.
No further hygienic deficiencies were reported.”
Markus Knierim, chairman of the school parents' council, does not believe that hygienic deficiencies in the accommodation were the cause of the spread of illness among the students.
“Since most of them were flu-like infections, I cannot imagine this connection.” He also appeals to parents to contact the school and teachers directly if they have any problems or criticism.
In order to protect healthy children, sick students were isolated during the trip and separate meal times and rooms were introduced, explains headmaster Werner.
A doctor was in the Buchenhaus twice and examined every child in their room.
“The measures that are possible as part of a school trip were implemented.” (Theresa Novak and Barbara Kamisli)
This is what the Schwalm-Eder district says: No complaints about hygiene
“No, we have not received any complaints about hygienic deficiencies in the past,” says the Schwalm-Eder district, which runs the facility.
The cleaning of all areas of the Buchenhaus is carried out according to the usual industry standards with the corresponding necessary surface disinfection, the district continues.
Areas such as kitchens, dining rooms and indoor swimming pools are subject to special hygiene requirements.
The sick group of students was separated from each other during meals in a separate dining area, the district said.
A redistribution to separate rooms was also offered.
If necessary, additional fresh bed linen was provided.
The branch of the Most bakery in Guxhagen train station remains closed.
Owner Ulrich Most terminated the lease because he lacked the necessary staff.