Nearly 800 students were suspended from Vienna’s schools in 2024, with more than 600 cases linked to violent behavior, according to new data. Police were called to intervene in almost 600 of these incidents, more than double the number recorded in 2015.
Children can be excluded from school for up to four weeks if they pose a risk to others, and from 2026, mandatory supervision will be introduced for students who have been suspended. However, many teachers warn that the measure may come too late.
Education officials link the surge in violence to wider social tensions, language barriers and cultural conflicts. Nearly 45% of Vienna’s first-graders reportedly lack adequate German language skills.
