Federal Government
Federal Education Minister separates from State Secretary
Stark-Watzinger reacted with horror to the “statement by teachers at Berlin universities”. Photo
© Michael Kappeler/dpa
After university professors criticized the way a pro-Palestinian protest camp was handled, the Ministry of Education discussed possible consequences. Now a leading official is to leave.
“Academic freedom is a very valuable asset and is rightly protected under constitutional law,” explained Stark-Watzinger. The impression created is likely to “permanently damage” the trust of scientists in the Federal Ministry of Education.
Internal emails: Cut funding?
Stark-Watzinger had publicly criticized the letter at the time. The ARD magazine “Panorama” recently reported, citing internal emails, that the Ministry of Education had been asked to conduct an internal review to determine whether funding could be cut as a result of the letter. This had sparked criticism.
“I have arranged for the matter to be investigated thoroughly and transparently,” explained Stark-Watzinger. “It is clear that an examination of potential consequences under funding law was indeed requested from the relevant specialist departments.” State Secretary Döring, who is responsible for the university department, ordered the investigation.
“She also stated that she had apparently expressed herself in a misleading way when ordering the legal review. Nevertheless, the impression was created that the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) was considering examining the consequences of funding on the basis of an open letter covered by freedom of expression.”
Stark-Watzinger: No examination due to expression of opinion
This contradicts the principles of academic freedom, said the FDP politician. “There are no reviews of the consequences of funding law for statements covered by freedom of expression,” emphasized Stark-Watzinger.
In a “Statement by teachers at Berlin universities”, more than 100 lecturers from several Berlin universities criticized the clearing of a protest camp of pro-Palestinian demonstrators at the Free University of Berlin in May.
Stark-Watzinger had reacted with horror to the letter of support at the time. “It still amazes me to this day how one-sidedly the letter ignored the terror of Hamas,” she explained. “And how it made a blanket demand that crimes at universities should not be prosecuted, while at the same time anti-Semitic incitement to hatred and violent attacks against Jewish citizens are being observed.”