Court rulings address educational rights in Austria and child abuse charges in Germany

In Austria, the Landesverwaltungsgericht Niederösterreich overturned a penalty imposed on a mother whose 13-year-old daughter failed to attend primary school. The court ruled that the mother was not attempting to evade compulsory education, but was instead seeking age-appropriate schooling for her child. The court criticized the regional education directorate, describing its arguments as “gänzlich lebensfremd” (entirely detached from reality), noting that the girl was significantly older and more advanced than her third-grade classmates.

In Germany, a trial is scheduled to begin on October 21 at the Landgericht Ellwangen involving a mother, father, and a family friend. The three defendants are accused of the joint sexual abuse and rape of a 12-year-old girl in Rot am See. The charges allege that the parents and the family friend coerced the child into sexual acts through threats. The three suspects have been in custody since February 2026.