Austria’s schools are facing growing challenges during the Islamic month of Ramadan. Teachers are sounding the alarm as more and more Muslim students, regardless of their religious obligations, are starting to fast at a young age. The Freedom Party (FPÖ) sees this as a symptom of a misguided immigration policy and warns of the social consequences.
In many classrooms, a growing number of students are affected, who abstain from food and drink during school hours. Educators report that children are falling asleep or even collapsing during lessons. Of particular concern is the increasing social pressure that leads to six-year-olds participating in the fast. Thomas Krebs, a union representative for compulsory schools in Vienna, warns of the health risks to these affected children.
The FPÖ is adamant that the problems in schools are a direct result of the uncontrolled immigration of recent years. The party criticizes that previous governments, comprising the ÖVP, SPÖ, NEOS and the Greens, allowed a development that fosters parallel societies. The fasting during school hours not only hinders academic performance but also illustrates a creeping Islamization of the education system.
Especially alarming is that many families give religious prescriptions a higher priority than school requirements. This raises fundamental questions about integration. The FPÖ emphasizes that parallel societies will ultimately lead to a societal split and demands a more consistent migration policy.
The FPÖ sees the Ramadan fast of children not only as an educational issue but also as a potential foundation for radical movements. Even Islamic religious leaders point out that children are not obligated to fast. However, the influence of fundamentalist interpretations is growing. These developments could contribute to the solidification of parallel structures that benefit political Islam in the long run.
Recent violent incidents in Austria and Germany, according to the FPÖ, demonstrate how dangerous the unchecked growth of such structures can be. Stricter regulations on migration and intensified integration measures are therefore urgently needed.
The FPÖ demands an immediate stop to illegal migration and measures against parallel societies and religious extremism. The government, however, remains committed to a liberal immigration policy and hinders effective measures against political Islam. The FPÖ’s proposals for stricter regulations in the education system have been rejected so far.
Not all experts share the FPÖ’s perspective. Child psychiatrist Türkan Akkaya-Kalayci from the University of Vienna’s Children’s Hospital sees the main problem as a lack of education. Many educators are unfamiliar with religious rules and do not understand the dynamics within Muslim families. Moreover, conflicts arise frequently between fasting and non-fasting students.
Another issue is the headscarf. Muslim girls report of bullying and discrimination by classmates and teachers, which can lead to psychological burdens, according to Akkaya-Kalayci. This shows that the debate about religious practices in schools is not limited to the issue of fasting.