Sick leave out of fear

Parents riot: security has to guard kindergarten

The facility in Von-Sparr-Straße in Cologne-Mülheim remained empty for days - there was simply no staff left to look after the children (symbolic image).

(Bild: APA/Harald Schneider)

Insulted, spat at, threatened: a conflict with parents in a German kindergarten has escalated to such an extent that the entrance to the facility now has to be guarded by two security staff. The staff had previously collectively called in sick out of fear.

The situation with a problem family in the Cologne kindergarten seems to have completely escalated. As reported by the "Kölner Stadtanzeiger" newspaper, a family with two children at the facility has been terrorizing the staff since the start of the kindergarten year to such an extent that even the police had to be called.

Several criminal complaints
A spokesperson for the city of Cologne confirmed "intensive discussions" and conflicts with one family to the newspaper. The employees of the building had been spat at, insulted, pushed and threatened several times. However, the attempt to resolve the situation in this way is unlikely to have borne fruit.

The Cologne police also confirmed that there had been an incident at the kindergarten in the Mülheim district of Cologne in December. In the meantime, several criminal charges have been filed in the complex, including threats against staff. The investigations are ongoing.

Kindergarten suddenly closed
The situation is believed to have finally escalated in February: According to the city, which also runs the facility, the location even had to remain closed for four days. The parents affected only found out about the spontaneous closure from the youth welfare office. The staff reportedly felt so threatened by the parents that all employees went on sick leave. During this time, the children were given temporary accommodation in another facility.

As a result, the parents were banned from the building and the children were no longer allowed to visit the facility.

"Waiting time" at the entrance
Until the dust has settled, the private security company is now to ensure order. The aim is to "increase safety for parents and staff", the "Stadtanzeiger" quotes from a message to parents. We also ask for your understanding that "admission may therefore be associated with some waiting time".