Bavarian Climate Activist Faces Potential Teaching Ban Over Political Activism

Lisa Poettinger, a 28-year-old aspiring teacher, challenges the Bavarian government's scrutiny of her activism and affiliations, which could prevent her from entering the teaching profession.

Lisa Poettinger, a Munich-based climate activist and Lehramtsstudentin (teaching student), is at risk of being barred from starting her teaching career due to her political activism and affiliations.
The Bavarian Ministry of Education is evaluating her involvement with the 'Offenes Antikapitalistisches Klimatreffen München,' a group classified as left-extremist by the state, and ongoing legal cases against her.
Poettinger has faced legal scrutiny for tearing down an AfD election poster and resisting law enforcement during a coal mining protest in Lützerath, though her lawyer argues these acts do not warrant a teaching ban.
Supporters, including parents from the kindergarten where she works and a solidarity group called 'Lasst Lisa lehren,' describe her as a dedicated educator and advocate for democratic values.
The case has sparked debates over the balance between personal political expression and professional neutrality in public service roles, with no final decision yet announced by Bavarian authorities.

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Augsburger Allgemeine