During the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, teachers in Vienna have reported rising tensions and peer pressure among students in schools. According to a report by the ServusTV format Blickwechsel, some students actively encourage classmates to fast and adhere to religious practices.
In certain classes, whole groups monitor whether anyone breaks the fast, while also expecting others to dress and behave according to specific religious norms.
Teachers warn that even individual students can create significant pressure. Thomas Krebs, of a teachers’ union, described situations where a single student’s insistence on strict adherence can affect the entire class. Students themselves report feeling compelled to fast when their friends do, even if it is not a direct coercion. Conversely, those who do not fast sometimes face conflict or disapproval from peers. In one case, a boy reportedly became upset when classmates ate and drank in class, leading to classroom tension.
Krebs also highlighted occasional disruptions during lessons, including instances where students rolled out prayer carpets in the classroom to perform prayers.
A survey by the OGM Institute commissioned by Blickwechsel found that 81% of respondents supported state measures to regulate fasting in schools. The Ministry of Education has reiterated that all students must participate in classes during Ramadan, and that any form of peer pressure or control over fasting is considered psychological violence or bullying, requiring intervention by school authorities.
Increasingly across Europe, the public celebration of Ramadan has become a point of cultural and political tension. In Germany, the debate has extended into the education system.
Mouhanad Khorchide, head of the Center for Islamic Theology at the University of Münster, has identified the rise of “religion policemen” in schools. He reports that some male youths use the month of fasting to stage masculinity as a demonstration of physical hardness, endurance, and supposed “religious superiority.” According to Khorchide, classmates who do not fast are put under pressure or confronted with derogatory remarks.
