Many thanks to Gary Fouse for translating this article from the public broadcaster Westdeutscher Rundfunk:

NRW [North Rhine-Westphalia] school committee debates sharia incident at Neuss school

January 17, 2024

The sharia incident in Neuss landed the school committee in the state parliament today. Pupils in one school reportedly have demanded strict Islamic rules.

by Benjamin Sartory

“Radicalism and extremism have no place in our school,” said NRW School Minister Dorothee Feller (CDU) at the start of the school committee session. The AfD (Alternative für Deutschland, Alternative for Germany) had requested a current update on the incidents in a Neuss school. Several pupils reportedly demanded strict Islamic rules there, including segregation of genders in class.

Pupils in Neuss wanted gender segregation

Reporting for the state government was the school crisis official within the School Ministry, Martin Oppermann. Accordingly, three of the four high school students contacted teachers last spring and showed “interest in a stricter interpretation of Islam”. In the school’s view, “statements critical of the state” were made, so they called in the police.

In a “creeping process”, the pupils then somehow tried to influence other pupils in their religious practice and create gender segregation. The school then took measures within the school, including, for example, providing information and the strengthening of students and teachers. In addition, the Ministry authorities were informed.

However, from the point of view of the Neuss school, associating the behavior of the pupils with the term, “sharia police” in no way affects the facts. Basically, the school feels it has been falsely presented publicly and they actually believe they are a functioning community.

State Security called in due to sharia pupils

Christian Blex (AfD) found the statements insufficient. He would have liked to know more about what exactly happened in the school, and also asked questions about the consequences for the pupils. “Was there at least a written reprimand?” Oppermann answered that one of the pupils was suspended from classes for one week.

“Every extremist is garbage,” said Franziska Mueller-Rech (FDP). However, she warned against exaggerating the incident. She doesn’t recognize a nationwide danger to the schools.

Dilek Engin (SPD) demanded that the school ministry cooperate more closely with the extremist prevention program “Guidepost”. The Neuss school finally addressed this. This program, incidentally, has had more to do lately, the state interior ministry said today.

“Guidepost” often at schools

Inquiries from schools have also increased with the start of the conflict in the Middle East. “Guidepost” had carried out more than 1,000 informational events by the end of the third quarter of last year, most of which were in schools.

A representative of the State Ministry of Interior said that the police, from the beginning, have worked very closely with the school. This matter will still be investigated. State Security with the responsible police in Düsseldorf are also involved.