Bavaria Bars Climate Activist from Teaching Role over Political Views

Lisa Poettinger, a Marxist and climate activist, is denied a teaching career in Bavaria due to alleged extremism and ongoing legal investigations.

The Bavarian Ministry of Education has refused Lisa Poettinger, a 28-year-old Lehramtsstudentin (teacher-in-training), entry into the mandatory teaching preparatory program, effectively blocking her from becoming a teacher.
The ministry cites her involvement with the 'Offenes Antikapitalistisches Klimatreffen München,' a legal group critical of capitalism, and her public criticism of 'profit maximization' as evidence of extremist ideology incompatible with public service duties.
Poettinger has participated in protests against the Munich IAA auto show, the Lützerath coal mine expansion, and organized anti-AfD demonstrations, which the ministry claims harm the public's trust in the teaching profession.
The decision also references ongoing legal cases against Poettinger, including charges of resisting and assaulting law enforcement during protests, and vandalizing AfD campaign posters, though she has not been convicted.
Poettinger plans to challenge the decision in court, arguing her Marxist views align with democratic principles and that her activism reflects her commitment to environmental and social justice.