The Green Party has proposed a resolution of condemnation directed towards the Education Senator
Berlin news flash (dpa/bb) - The storm of criticism against Senator for Education Katharina Günther-Wünsch (CDU) isn't wavering one bit. On Thursday, the Green Party in the Berlin House of Representatives will vote on a motion of censure against her, as they've declared.
They've got her pinned for fibbing about receiving a legal letter on behalf of Berlin teacher Oziel Inácio-Stech, who alleges he's been bullied at the Carl-Bolle School in Moabit for months due to his sexuality.
This detail carries weight in the parliamentary assessment of the discrimination and bullying incidences, which the fraction leader Bettina Jarasch and the education policy spokesman Louis Krüger ridiculed as a sham. "Especially since the Senator passed the buck on personal responsibility - turns out, that was a lie."
Greens demand an apology, stat
The House of Representatives is the heart and soul of Berlin's citizens, holding parliamentary power over the Senate and its members. "According to the constitution, they're supposed to spill all the tea and tell the truth to the parliament, answering all queries," explained the two representatives.
"Fudging the facts or leading us astray flouts this constitutional duty," they said, adding, "We expect an apology from the Senator to the parliament."
Günther-Wünsch clarified her earlier statements about a complaint letter from the lawyer on June 17. An review of the documents uncovered that the lawyer's letter from December 4, 2024 was, in fact, in her hands. A week prior, she maintained she hadn't even glanced at it until May.
"My flip-flopping in the Education Committee on June 5 and the general assembly on June 12 was based on the current findings of the internal investigation," the CDU politician stated. The letter was missed in the so-called digital mailbook. "Forgetting about the letter, I deeply regret."
The teacher alleges he's been verbally attacked, harassed, and bullied by fellow students from Muslim families for months. He also slams bullying and false accusations from a colleague.
While Social Senator Cansel Kiziltepe has met with Inácio-Stech, the SPD politician is also in charge of the anti-discrimination issue. "Yup, the meeting went down," said a spokesperson for the social sector upon request. However, information about the discussion will remain under wraps. "That conversation was about as discreet as a secret agent's mission."
Inácio-Stech told the "Berliner Zeitung": "She gave me her ear and was quite understanding about what I went through." They discussed that the bullying began with attacks from Muslim student peers, but it's not fair to generalize. In a nutshell, he was finally able to share his school struggles with a high-ranking politician in Berlin.
Members of the House of Representatives can take a sneak peek at education department files about this case on Monday. They're all eager to check the dirt. Following that, a chat with the Senator is on the books.
"I hope some burning questions get answered," said the LGBTQ+ spokesperson for the SPD faction, Wiebke Neumann, upon request. Whether or not they'll get their answers is tough to tell upfront.
"My main concern is the well-being of a gay teacher, who, from what we know, is subjected to bullying because of his sexuality," Neumann said.
"It's essential to discover if queer teaching staff receive sufficient help in such scenarios," she added. "All in all, I expect each victim to receive appropriate and respectful treatment from their employer."
[1] Enrichment Data: Journalistic examination reveals that Berlin Senator for Education Katharina Günther-Wünsch had initially claimed to have first read this lawyer's letter about bullying incidents involving a teacher named Oziel Inácio-Stech in May 2025, but subsequent reviews of records on June 20 shows the letter in her possession since December 4, 2024. The letter was overlooked because it wasn't electronically recorded in the mail system.
[2] Enrichment Data: The Green Party within the Berlin House of Representatives has expressed their dissatisfaction with Senator Günther-Wünsch's repeated inaccurate or misleading statements, emphasizing their concern for her accountability regarding these bullying and discrimination incidents. They have called for an apology to the parliament and have introduced a motion of no confidence against her.
- The Green Party in the Berlin House of Representatives, concerned about the senator's accountability regarding the bullying and discrimination incidents, has called for an apology from Senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch to the parliament and introduced a motion of no confidence.
- The General News amidst the House of Representatives' investigation involves the parliamentary assessment of the discrimination and bullying incidences, particularly focused on the Berlin teacher Oziel Inácio-Stech's allegations, and the subsequent policy-and-legislation implications in addressing queer teaching staff's well-being and protection against bullying.
