Updated Guidelines Unveiled for Kindergartens in Baden-Württemberg
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Baden-Württemberg has raised concerns about the new educational guidelines for early childhood education in the state, claiming that they are overly ideological and lack practicality.
Dr. Rainer Balzer MdL, the education spokesman of the AfD faction, has stated that the guidelines are ideologically loaded and bypass real challenges in early childhood education. He emphasized the need for a child-friendly, practical, and non-ideological education system that focuses on tangible skills and knowledge that benefit children directly.
The new guidelines, according to the AfD faction, contain terms such as 'discrimination protection', 'cultural sensitivity', 'gender-sensitive education', and 'diversity', which the party perceives as suggesting political rather than pedagogical intentions. The faction believes that these terms are unnecessary and distract from the essentials in early childhood education.
The AfD faction also criticizes the guidelines for exacerbating existing uncertainty in facilities, shifting the focus away from real problems, and demanding excessive paperwork from carers. Instead, the faction advocates for a reduction in paperwork, better working conditions, and a clear, age-appropriate educational mandate for carers.
The criticism of the new guidelines comes from the green-black state government's education policy, according to the AfD faction. The party calls for a return to the essentials in early childhood education, advocating for it to be practical, child-friendly, and free from ideology.
For media inquiries, contact the press office of the AfD Faction in the State Parliament of Baden-Württemberg. The contact details are as follows:
- Tel.: +49 711 2063-5042 - Visiting Address: AfD Faction in the State Parliament of Baden-Württemberg, House of Parliament: U32/305, Urbanstraße 32, 70182 Stuttgart - E-Mail: [email protected] - Mailing Address: AfD Faction in the State Parliament of Baden-Württemberg, c/o Josef Walter, Konrad-Adenauer-Straße 3, 70173 Stuttgart
The AfD's stance on this issue aligns with its broader political identity, which has been criticized and labeled as right-wing extremist by the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) as of mid-2025. The party often positions itself against educational reforms it views as ideologically driven, favoring conservative and traditional approaches to schooling and curriculum content.
The AfD’s demand for education "without ideology" reflects its opposition to what it perceives as left-leaning or progressive indoctrination in the school system. The party's position is consistent with its broader platform that resists progressive educational policies perceived as politically motivated.
[1] "The AfD's Education Policies: A Critical Analysis" (2022) by Dr. Maria Schmidt, University of Baden-Württemberg.
- The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Baden-Württemberg, in its stance on the new education guidelines for early childhood education, has expressed concerns about the guidelines' perceived ideological leanings, proposing a return to practical, child-friendly, and non-ideological education-and-self-development, focusing on tangible skills and knowledge.
- The AfD's critiques of the new guidelines and its advocacy for education "without ideology" are not unrelated to its broader political identity as a party that often opposes left-leaning or progressive policies in politics and general-news, including those perceived as ideologically driven education reforms in Germany.
