Rheinland-Pfalz student sues over school lesson cancellations

A former student of the Eduard-Spranger-Gymnasium in Landau is suing the state of Rheinland-Pfalz following significant lesson cancellations in the upper secondary level. The plaintiff claims that up to 33 percent of classes in specific advanced subjects were missed, potentially impacting his ability to meet the grade requirements (Numerus Clausus) for competitive university programs in medicine, psychology, neuroscience, or molecular biology.

The lawsuit seeks a re-evaluation of his Abitur grades to compensate for the lost instructional time. While the plaintiff previously attempted to expedite the process through emergency proceedings, those efforts were unsuccessful. The main legal proceedings are expected to begin in November or December.

The Aufsichts- und Dienstleistungsdirektion (ADD) in Trier acknowledged that there was an “unfortunate accumulation” of lesson cancellations. However, the authority stated that these absences were generally covered by substitute staff and argued that the cancellations did not disadvantage the students' performance in the final Abitur examinations.