The head of the civil servants’ association and trade union dbb, Volker Geyer, has firmly rejected calls for a halt to the permanent appointment of teachers. In remarks published by the Funke-Mediengruppe newspapers, Geyer emphasized the crucial role teachers play within the education system, stating their responsibilities – including student placement, graduation decisions and grading – are inherently governmental functions, further noting their obligation to adhere to strike prohibitions. He questioned the practicality and potential disruption of allowing teachers to participate in strikes.
Geyer’s response directly addresses recent proposals, such as those put forth by CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann, which suggested restricting permanent appointments to specific roles like police officers, judges, prosecutors and employees within financial and customs agencies. Geyer characterized such proposals as lacking in respect for existing civil servants.
Furthermore, Geyer voiced opposition to plans by some federal states to mandate an additional hour of instruction for teachers. He argued that such a measure would send the “completely wrong signal” and further diminish the appeal of the teaching profession. Citing a nationwide shortage of over 100,000 teachers, Geyer stressed that increasing workloads would exacerbate the problem and place undue stress on existing staff. He insisted that the state’s focus should be on establishing working conditions that safeguard the health and well-being of educators.