75 years ago, the German Basic Law (Grundgesetz) officially came into force – the constitution that was designed to form the basis for a democratic and peaceful society with basic rights for all, after the horrors of the National Socialist dictatorship. The Munich local group of Generation Europe – The Academy took part in the anniversary celebrations. With a performance about the violation of rights in the education system, the youngsters made it clear that constitutional rights are only the foundation on which we can be active against discrimination and for a just society.
Many are familiar with the experiences that the young people reported on stage: Discrimination by teachers, bullying by classmates, insufficiently qualified teaching staff who are not familiar with mental and cognitive conditions, various hurdles in a non-inclusive school system: all of this can lead to serious problems and restricts the rights to education and equal participation, for example.
On stage, the young people also presented practical proposals on how these problems can be tackled: They called for additional support structures at school and better qualifications for teachers, and above all an open debate in schools and society about how equal opportunities can actually be made available to all young people. Perhaps it could also help if topics such as psychology, mental health and anti-discrimination played a greater role in the curriculum and other aspects of school life.
While the young people pointed out the serious problems that are part of school reality, they also made clear: the fact that they have the opportunity to address all of this is due to the fundamental right to freedom of expression. So with this in mind: Happy Birthday, Grundgesetz!
