Hass speech at schools: Alarming results from Brandenburg!

Hass speech at schools: Alarming results from Brandenburg!

Senftenberg, Deutschland - hate speech at schools and at schoolyards is an urgent social problem that has so far been insufficiently researched. This is reported by the scientists Ludwig Bilz and Julia Kansok shower from the Brandenburg University of Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU), which recently published the results of a comprehensive survey. As part of a specialist conference that took place online on Tuesday, they presented their findings teachers and social workers.

The focus of her research is the concept of hate speech, internationally known as HATE Speech. This includes deliberate devaluations to people because of their origin, gender or religious conviction. Between 2018 and 2023, the researchers interviewed around 2,000 students about their experiences with hate speech in the school context. An alarming result: About 60 percent of the respondents stated that they had observed hate speech at their school within a year, and around 20 percent reported that they had even experienced this several times a week. 27 percent became victims of Hatespeech within one year, with girls being affected more often than boys.

distribution of hate speech

"When two thirds of the students experience something like this in their everyday life, you can say that it is a very common phenomenon," says Bilz. The schools are faced with the challenge of effectively reacting to such incidents. Teachers have to be trained to deal with these situations because their reaction acts as a model for the students. It is also known that Hass speech can lead to the school affected, which endangers social stability.

The problem of hate speech is reinforced by the knowledge that numerous prevention programs exist, but have not yet been checked for their effectiveness. The researchers discussed which programs would make sense depending on the type of hate speech. Especially in a school environment, where conflicts occur between different social groups, it is crucial to develop suitable strategies.

hate speech as a social phenomenon

In addition, experts such as Wilfried Schubarth and Sebastian Wachs from the University of Potsdam emphasize that Hass speech is not only on the Internet, but also in the analog world of a threat to peaceful coexistence. In your study, you will examine how school deals deal with this challenge. They show that the knowledge or strength often lacks to intervene effectively, since teachers are strongly demanded by everyday school life. The spread of hate Speech, which has shifted from online discussions to the schoolyard, is a new quality that cannot be ignored.

An example from practice illustrates this: A child who comes to a class and had to leave home beforehand is confronted with prejudices, for example with statements like: "We don't want someone like that here." Such prejudices can quickly result in discriminatory actions and even in hate groups such as racist WhatsApp groups. The researchers' expertise is required to understand and counter such dynamics.

The "Trump effect" and social factors

The studies on hate speech also show phenomena such as the “Trump effect”, in which an increase in hate expressions is linked to certain political developments. An international investigation has shown that young people worldwide have similar experiences with hate speech and that social networks work as catalysts. In Germany as well as in other countries, the young people report increased hatred on the Internet, which also influences school communication.

Especially in educational institutions, it is important that conflict potential is addressed. Too often teaching issues that have to do with the political climate are avoided. This also applies to dealing with right -wing extremist content that should be discussed urgently. Teachers could play a crucial role here to sensitize students to democracy theme and to counter discrimination.

Comprehensive research is supplemented by qualitative interviews with teachers and students. The aim is to develop a socio -ecological model that makes it possible to examine the diverse influencing factors for hate speech and find practical solutions. In the next two years, 2,000 students are to be interviewed in order to gain a better understanding of the dynamics within schools and to effectively counter this growing problem.