New School Suspension Support with Reintegration and Instruction Coming

Children and adolescents who have been suspended are to participate in "psychosocial" measures for reintegration for a maximum of ten hours per week as part of the suspension support. The goal is for them to recognize and change their misconduct. Additionally, they receive up to ten hours of instruction without performance assessment to facilitate re-entry after suspension.

"Reintegration" instead of Shopping Mall through Suspension Support

The measure is also intended to provide a minimum level of daily structure and prevent students from hanging out in shopping malls or parks during suspension, as Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS) has repeatedly criticized in the past. The extent of 20 hours is based on previous pilot attempts by socio-educational institutions.

The educational directorates are to determine which schools will have suspension support in the future. If it is expected that children or adolescents could become violent even during suspension support, the entire measure can also take place online. Students whose suspension lasts less than four days are exempt from this. The same applies if the educational directorate suspects an illness as the cause and has a special educational need (SPF) examined.

The suspension notice includes not only the type and scope of measures for the child but also the newly planned participation obligations of the parents "to support reintegration." In addition to participating in discussions, this can mean in practice that they collaborate with social educators or child and youth services "within a reasonable time frame," agree to socio-educational measures, or support their child in participating in the reintegration measure.

Suspension Support: Penalties for "a Few Dozen" Uncooperative Parents

If parents refuse to cooperate, the district administrative authority can impose administrative fines ranging from 150 to 800 euros. In the first draft, as with violations of the planned headscarf ban or non-participation of parents in the perspective discussion in case of impending school dropout, maximum fines of 1,000 euros were originally planned, but the amount was reduced at the request of coalition partner SPÖ. According to Wiederkehr, there were "a few dozen cases" among approximately 2,000 suspensions per year where parents did not cooperate at all.

The draft of the new law now also more precisely regulates in which cases "imminent danger" and an immediate suspension are appropriate. In addition to intentional violence or damage to school property, threats, persistent pursuit, degradation, or disparagement are also mentioned. In principle, a suspension may last no longer than four weeks as before. However, if expulsion from school is imminent, an additional two weeks can be added once. A "precautionary" suspension to protect against violence or bullying is not possible, as emphasized in the explanations.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.