European Trade Union Committee for Education

In the context of multiple recent European and world crises, including the economic and energy crisis, the European migration regime, the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and other, which have strengthened the EU-sceptic and ethnonationalist positions, education trade unions are extremely concerned about the obvious political shift to right-wing and conservative political discourses across Europe. Through advocating for teaching for democratic citizenship and transmitting fundamental values, in addition to carrying on the trade union tradition of fighting for democracy, education trade unions can contribute to stopping the extreme-right from capitalising on this moment of instability in Europe at the expense of vulnerable groups. In the framework of the ETUCE Campaign on the Attractiveness of the Teaching Profession, we are highlighting  the work of ETUCE member organisations who take proactive measures to safeguard democracy through and within education, in the face of rising challenges from populist movements and extreme-right ideologies.

From Elina Stock, Senior Policy Advisor at Germany's Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft (GEW), and Fred Grindrod, Principal Official at the United Kingdom's National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), we have learned about challenges their unions are facing and how they address them, including through joint activities across borders.

In Germany, the GEW is continuing to take the lead in the struggle against the far-right, particularly the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party. The ascent of the far-right poses a substantial threat to democratic culture and human rights, given Germany's post-World War II emphasis on cultivating democratic citizenship through education. However, the teacher shortage and the AfD's success in capturing the attention of the younger generation through social media campaigns and the proliferation of fake news has challenged Germany’s commitment to teaching democracy. Consequently, teachers and other education personnel need more support and tools to equip their students with the skills to discern between myths and reality and to identify misinformation. “To this end, teachers in Germany have to grapple with the delicate task of discussing controversial topics in the classroom while drawing a firm line when confronted with anti-democratic discourse and discriminatory attitudes. EI’s declaration on maintaining professional ethics stands as a helpful guideline in this matter,” – explains Elina Stock. Recognizing the urgency of this challenge, GEW has established a working group (made out of a representative of each federal state), shared educational materials, and utilized its network to counter the influence of the far-right within educational institutions. Notably, GEW extends legal protection to teachers compelled to leave the teaching environment due to their taking a stand against right-wing populist ideologies. This underscores that the promotion of democracy is not confined to the classroom alone but must also permeate the broader structural fabric of educational institutions and civil society.

In the UK, NASUWT is confronting a different manifestation of the far-right challenge. With no specific far-right party, the narrative is normalized, evident in events like anti-vaccination protests outside schools. NASUWT, recognizing the insidious nature of these incidents, explores teachers' experiences and needs for protection in the face of rising far-right narratives. To show the extent of the challenge, official reports indicate a staggering increase in reported hate crimes, surpassing 124,000 annually in England and Wales alone, with nearly three-quarter of them being racially motivated—an increase of 12% in just a year.

“Considering the pervasive populist sentiment in the UK, it is crucial to explore the impact of social media influencers, such as Andrew Tate, - notes Fred Grindrod, - in promoting misogyny and degrading women, and how this influence permeates the classroom environment.” Addressing this issue, NASUWT actively participates in the G-EPIC Project, aiming to empower girls in secondary school for robust engagement in political participation, aligning with broader initiatives to combat gender inequality in the political realm. Furthermore, NASUWT plays a pivotal role in the development of the Trades Union Congress's (TUC) Anti-Far-Right Political Education Course, offering insights into the nature, tactics, and origins of contemporary far-right movements. Reinforcing their commitment to democracy, NASUWT is also organizing a dedicated webinar on tackling the far-right.

Furthermore, with a shared commitment to safeguarding democracy, both GEW and NASUWT are exploring the prospect of a collaborative project, aiming to exchange best practices in addressing the impact of far-right populism in classrooms. The envisioned project involves dialogues and exchanges between German and UK teachers, facilitating the sharing of insights and experiences related to populism. Additionally, practical guidelines and recommendations for action may be developed.

If you want to learn more about our member organisations’ work on this topic, please check the following resources:

1. The NASUWT framework on Anti-racism and Decolonising the Curriculum
2. The NASUWT’s Big Conversation on Racial Justice
3. The NASUWT’s Anti-Racism Action Plan
4. The FES (Friedrich Ebert Stiftung) guide: “Political Education in the School” (including GEW’s contributions)
5. https://www.gew.de/antirassismus
6. https://www.gew.de/aktuelles/detailseite/aktiv-gegen-rechts-fuer-eine-solidarische-gesellschaft
7. https://www.gew.de/aktuelles/detailseite/stark-gegen-rechts
8. https://www.gew.de/aktuelles/detailseite/betroffenen-den-ruecken-staerken-und-schulen-nicht-alleine-lassen