Over 2,000 students in Austria have been suspended due to violence in the 2024-2025 school year, and authorities are introducing strict measures for 2026, including fines for parents.

In Austria, the number of students suspended due to violent behavior has alarmingly increased, reaching 2,187 cases in the 2024-2025 school year, compared to approximately 2,000 in the previous year and under 1,000 before the pandemic. The most suspensions occurred in middle schools (1,187), followed by primary schools (413) and special schools (328), where nearly 2% of students are affected.

Starting from the fall of 2026, suspended students will be required to participate in a special reintegration program, and parents who do not cooperate with the school may be fined up to 1,000 euros. The Minister of Education, Christoph Wiederkehr, emphasizes that the purpose of these measures is to support children in returning to normal education, not just to punish them.