Austria’s Muslim community has expressed its anger after the country’s youth and culture minister, Claudia Plakolm, described the Islamic headscarf as a “symbol of oppression” that must not be permitted in schools.
The Islamic Religious Community in Austria (IGGÖ) said it was “deeply disturbed” by the remarks, calling them a threat to religious freedom and a harmful generalization that stigmatizes young Muslim girls.
In a video shared on Instagram, the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) minister claimed, “The headscarf is a sign of oppression.” She argued that girls are “hidden” behind it at a crucial stage in their development and concluded, “These extremist tendencies – especially among children – simply have no place in our schools.”
IGGÖ President Ümit Vural strongly criticized the comments in a statement on Monday, warning against using child welfare as a pretext to limit fundamental rights. “The association of the headscarf as an expression of the religious practice of a religious community legally recognized in Austria with ‘extremist tendencies’ unsettles not only many young Muslim women, but also all those who trust in the protection of religious freedom and equal treatment,” he said.
Vural emphasized that child protection must not be used to justify blanket policies that deny religious self-determination. “Child welfare is a valuable asset that must not be pitted against fundamental rights. Anyone who denies girls religious self-determination in general misses the core of child protection,” he said, adding that a modern understanding of child welfare must respect the diverse realities of children’s lives.
The IGGÖ invited Plakolm to a confidential meeting with Muslim educators, parents, and young people, and claimed a public clarification would be necessary if her remarks were “misleading.”
Plakolm’s comments come amid growing national concern over integration challenges and cultural tensions in Austria’s schools, particularly in Vienna. A book published last fall by Viennese school headmaster Christian Klar, titled “What’s going on in our schools?”, reignited debate about the effects of mass immigration and the increasing presence of Islamic norms in the education system.
“Islam is now everywhere in Viennese schools,” Klar told the news portal OE24. He described situations in which girls wear headscarves either out of fear or strict religious observance, while others wear full-body veils, or burqas. Klar reported banning such attire in his school and called for federal legislation to enforce dress codes and uphold secular values. He recounted how five girls began wearing veils after experiencing widespread sexual harassment, reportedly at the urging of their parents as a protective measure.
In his book, Klar described a range of concerning incidents, from demands for Islamic prayer rooms and intolerance toward other religions, to threats of violence against school staff and students refusing to speak with female police officers. “If we want to preserve our secular society, we must take care of it. And intolerance should not be countered with tolerance,” he warned.
The crisis is not isolated to one school. According to a teachers’ union survey in Vienna from last October, language barriers, religious tension, and violent behavior are widespread across the capital’s school system. Teachers reported being assaulted, subjected to religious pressure from parents, and even witnessing mock executions carried out by students. One anonymous headmistress noted that more than 80 percent of her students do not speak German at home, saying, “Immigration has always existed, but this is something completely different now.”
Government figures show that Muslim students have become the largest religious group in Vienna’s schools, making up over 41 percent of the student body, while Christian students now account for just 34.5 percent. In primary schools, Muslim children make up 35 percent, surpassing Catholic pupils. The demographic shift has prompted calls for mandatory civic education and clear enforcement of Western values in classrooms.
Lower Austria has already begun taking legislative action. In April, a new integration package was set to be adopted by the state parliament, which includes a headscarf ban for girls, compulsory participation in school meetings for parents, and sanctions for noncompliance. The law also mandates German as the language of instruction and codifies Austrian traditions in early education. State leaders have framed the measures as a defense of cultural identity and a response to the federal government’s failure to tackle political Islam.
“Since 2015, we have seen a decline in public safety and cohesion,” said FPÖ’s Martin Antauer, praising Lower Austria’s hardline approach.
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