Will school peace return to the Ernst Göbel School in Höchst in the Odenwald?

A few steps have been taken in the meantime, some decisions are still open.

The previous headmaster has been ill for a long time, his former deputy is now running the school on an interim basis.

As reported, three months ago there was a conflict at the school between the head of the upper school and headmaster Ralf Guinet.

The upper school head opposed the new structures in the upper school ordered by Guinet and wrote a letter to the headmaster and the teaching staff in which he spoke of bullying.

As a result of the dispute, which has now been openly debated, the head of the school was transferred to the high school in Michelstadt by the state school authority until the end of this school year, which caused protests and strikes at the school among the students and parents.

Some of the teaching staff and some of the staff council also opposed the headmaster, who was accused of a lack of communication and transparency.

Several meetings to settle disputes ended without result, most recently a tenth grader had written a letter to the Hessian Ministry of Education and complained about what was happening at the school. 

It is unclear how long the principal has been ill

Several meetings to settle disputes ended without result, most recently a tenth grader had written a letter to the Hessian Ministry of Education and complained about what was happening at the school.

Therefore, on July 10, demonstrations are to be held in Wiesbaden in front of the Ministry of Education.

However, its press spokesman Philipp Bender now sees the school on the right track and hopes that the dispute will be over by the end of the summer holidays and that the upper school will be back to normal.

According to Bender, it is unclear how long the principal has been ill.

According to information from this newspaper, Ralf Guinet is said to have been so mentally affected by the events of the past few months that he currently lacked the strength to continue to carry out his task.

According to the ministry, it should also be decided by the end of the summer break what will happen to the former head of the school who was delegated to Michelstadt.

The student body and the parents' association demand his return to the school in Höchst.

The person concerned even wants to sue against his transfer and has hired a lawyer.

Talks should also be held at short notice with the teacher concerned and his lawyer, according to the spokesman for the Minister of Education.

Whether the teacher, who is popular with many students, will return to the school in Höchst is an open question.

It is also unclear whether the acting headmistress Marion Braun, who left the school in Höchst in 2018 and became headmistress at a school in Roßdorf, will remain at the Ernst Göbel School permanently and take over the management there. 

That also depends on whether Ralf Guinet will be able to carry out his duties in Höchst again after the summer holidays, said Bender.

The problems at the school are therefore not all solved.

At least the parents' representatives now see the chance to start over at the school after the holidays.

Possibly permanently without the previous headmaster and the deputy upper school head.

The planned student demonstration in Wiesbaden has been canceled for the time being.