There are various literacy initiatives in Germany that aim to promote the German language and bring the generations together. One of these is the Cologne-based “Lesewelten” initiative, for which Martin Wagner was active as a mentor in a daycare centre in the socially deprived district of Chorweiler. But then several Muslim families complained and the daycare centre dismissed Wagner. The reasons for his dismissal were met with criticism.
As the feminist magazine Emma recently reported, the so-called reading mentor Martin Wagner is no longer allowed to read aloud in a Cologne daycare centre in the socially deprived district of Chorweiler. The reason: his gender does not suit three Muslim families. “The daycare centre has informed me that three Muslim families don’t want me to continue reading to them because I’m a man,” Emma quotes him as saying. Wagner thinks this is unfair. The children always had fun and he also enjoyed reading aloud. “I just thought it was important to read aloud in a daycare centre where many children don’t have German as their first language,” he explained.
In order to be allowed to read out to children as part of the Cologne ” Lesewelten” initiative, all volunteers must complete a literary education course and provide an extended police clearance certificate. According to Emma, it is mostly older women and sometimes retired men who see a meaningful occupation in reading to children in daycare centres, primary schools, refugee accommodation, museums or libraries. An employee from the daycare centre must always be present during the reading sessions. “I haven’t spent a single minute alone with the children and I don’t understand the concerns,” says Martin Wagner, “in this case it’s all about the fact that I’m a man.” According to the daycare centre, Muslim families have also complained about male interns in the past.
The daycare centre management initially backed Wagner, as did the “Lesewelten” initiative. But then the City of Cologne, as the daycare centre’s municipal sponsor, intervened and advised the daycare centre management to part ways with Wagner. But that was not enough. As Emma further reports, the daycare centre management also decided, after consultation with the City of Cologne, to no longer allow men to read aloud at the daycare centre in Chorweiler in future. “I can understand that you are upset (…) and that your gender may have led to this conflict.
The “Lesewelten” association continues to support Wagner and explains: “This doesn’t fit in with our values. We stand for diversity. We are also not complying with the wish expressed by the daycare centre management to look for a woman as a storyteller. We are now putting the cooperation with this daycare centre on hold, but we will be holding further clarifying talks with all those involved,” Emma quotes Simone Krost, Head of Division at “Lesewelten”.
A few weeks ago, a Muslim father wanted to come to Wagner’s reading lesson unannounced. “I found that offensive. It was a strange atmosphere. Parents don’t just join a school lesson like that. What would have happened if he had accused me of looking at his daughter funny afterwards?” says Wagner indignantly. The city of Cologne now also cites Wagner’s reaction to the father’s “inspection visit” as the reason for his expulsion. They claim he upset other parents and destroyed the basis of trust. “That’s not true,” Wagner replies. “It’s still only about the three Muslim families for whom I was a thorn in their side from the outset, just because I’m a man. I don’t think tolerance and cosmopolitanism should only go in one direction. And a city like Cologne should dare to stand up for that.”