Neo-Nazis Seek Foothold in Kindergartens

[mgc1961]

The government of the eastern German state of Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania took the unusual step last month of ordering anyone setting up a children's day-care center to pledge their support for Germany's democratic constitution. The move followed a number of cases in which neo-Nazis had tried to take over the running of a kindergarten, influence teaching in nurseries or get recruited as teachers.

"I am concerned that right-wing extremists could become managers of kindergartens," said Manuela Schleswig, the state's social affairs minister. Effective August 1, all managers setting up new nurseries or taking over existing ones in the state have been required to declare that they and their staff subscribe to the principles of democracy.

The announcement conjured up dark visions of neo-Nazi pied pipers teaching toddlers the Hitler salute. While such fears are exaggerated, and incidents have been isolated, anti-Nazi campaigners say they have indeed detected a new and disturbing phenomenon: the attempted indoctrination of young children by teachers and parents in the former communist east, which continues to grapple with a strong neo-Nazi presence even after more than a decade of government policies to counter the problem.

Schleswig's decree followed a widely reported case in February when the village of Bartow in the northeast of the state almost permitted a father of seven to take over a kindergarten which had been on the verge of closing due to a lack of funds. The man had agreed to run it free of charge. When the mayor checked out his credentials, he found out that he was a member of the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD), which glorifies the Third Reich. He politely declined the offer.


Go. Now. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,716006,00.html

[Uncle Joe]

1. Personally I wish our kindergartens or pre-schools taught Constitutional Law and

if the children are going to pledge allegiance; have them do it to the Constitution instead of the flag.

I believe this could be simplified to that level, much of the Bill of Rights is analogous to the Golden Rule anyway.

Thanks for the thread, mgc.

[mgc1961]

2. After reading the opening I thought of P. J. O'Rourke.

Especially the fourth paragraph about the guy offering to educate the kids for free.

What I'm reminded of is this scathing remark O'Rourke made in his 1993 Liberty Manifesto in regard to the Clinton health care proposal:

"Health care is too expensive, so the Clinton administration is putting a high-powered corporate lawyer in charge of making it cheaper. (This is what I always do when I want to spend less money — hire a lawyer from Yale.) If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free."

Free indeed.