Berlin. After university professors criticized the way a pro-Palestine protest camp was conducted, the Ministry of Education discussed possible consequences. Now an important official must leave.
Federal Minister of Education, Bettina Stark-Watzinger, wants her State Secretary, Sabine Döring, to be temporarily retired. The FDP politician said she asked Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) about this through her ministry. The backdrop is an order to examine possible consequences for university professors who signed an open letter on how to deal with pro-Palestinian protests at Berlin universities.
“Academic freedom is a very valuable asset and duly protected by the constitution,” explained Stark-Watzinger. The resulting impression is likely to “sustainably undermine” the confidence of scientists and scientists at the Federal Ministry of Education.
Internal emails: cut funding?
Stark-Watzinger publicly criticized the letter at the time. Recently, ARD magazine “Panorama” reported, citing internal emails, that the Ministry of Education was asked to examine whether funding could be canceled as a result of the letter. This caused criticism.
“I tried to ensure that the matter was handled completely and transparently,” explained Stark-Watzinger. “What is certain is that an examination of the potential consequences of the funding was indeed requested from the responsible specialist departments. State Secretary Döring, responsible for the higher education department, initiated the examination order.”
“She also stated that she apparently expressed herself misleadingly in ordering the legal review. However, the impression was created that the examination of the consequences of funding was being considered on the basis of an open letter from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), which is protected by freedom of expression.”
Stark-Watzinger: No exam to express opinions
This contradicts the principles of academic freedom, said the FDP politician. “There is no analysis of the consequences of financing statements covered by freedom of expression,” Stark-Watzinger emphasized.
In a “Berlin University Professors’ Statement” in May, more than 100 professors from several Berlin universities criticized the evacuation of a protest camp of pro-Palestinian protesters at the Free University of Berlin.
At the time, Stark-Watzinger reacted with horror to the supporters’ letter. “It still amazes me today how the terror of Hamas was unilaterally ignored in this letter,” she said. “And how there was a general requirement not to prosecute crimes on universities, while at the same time anti-Semitic incitement and violent attacks against fellow Jews were observed.”
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240616-99-421075/4 (dpa)