On this Thursday morning, anyone walking through the corridors, hallways and classrooms of this comprehensive school could not get over the lively goings-on. As part of the Multicultural Day, all year groups explored the countries of origin of all pupils. Headteacher Andrea Fürle reports with fascination that all continents are represented at her school, except Australia. She jokes that she would still like to have a pupil from Australia at the school, so that all continents are truly represented.
This is because young people who have no or only a little German at this school first receive intensive language support in so-called VKL classes (preparatory classes) and are prepared to move into a regular class. The special importance of these preparatory classes lies in the fact that language skills are immensely important for success at school, in training, at work and in society.
The afternoon programme for this celebration was designed entirely by the pupils of the preparatory class. Alongside poetry recitals and dance performances, the speeches of former VKL pupils were an emotional highlight, says Elfie Zaulich, who hosted the programme. She has been at the school since 2008 and is therefore an indispensable part of the VKL. The speeches of her former pupils consisted mainly of words of sincere thanks. In addition, they told moving stories of their journeys and also of how many of them have successfully passed their Abitur. This is also the goal of Bassam Tamur. On stage, he first speaks of his escape in 2014. As a Yazidi in Iraq, he experienced severe persecution because of his faith. In 2017 he joined the preparatory class of the Johannes-Brenz-Gemeinschaftsschule with no German at all. He says the VKL was a place that helped him find his way in his new surroundings and believe in himself and his future. Today he is shortly before his Abitur at the Johannes-Brenz-Gemeinschaftsschule. This is because at this school it is also possible for pupils with little or no German to achieve their goals, all the way to the Abitur and university study.
The audience was captivated by his story, especially the invited guests of honour Priscilla Hoffmann and Elfriede Baumann, both former VKL teachers, as well as Karlheinz Lang, retired headteacher of the former Thomas-Schweicker-Werkrealschule. Also invited were Monika Odenwälder, representing the school authority, and Sophie Kling from the State Schools Office in Künzelsau.
At the end of the day, everyone agreed: the Multicultural Day should not remain a one-off celebration. It should become a tradition at this school to celebrate diversity with such a day and to live and make visible community in this way.
