Future of Christian school in Austria under threat
The building of Mayflower Christian Academy at the International Campus Vienna. Photo Mayflower Christian Academy
Central Europe
Mayflower Christian Academy and Noah's Ark Kindergarten in Vienna form a flourishing school. Its innovative way of teaching is well-known in Austria. Yet, the school now finds itself in a “spiritual warfare”. Is the end coming? “This is comparable to the time of Hezekiah.”
In total, 250 children receive education at the Mayflower Christian Academy and the Noah's Ark Kindergarten in Vienna. But now, the end may be in sight for the school that has existed since 1998, says CEO Marcus Assmann. Currently, the school deals with unwilling authorities, non-cooperative investors and lawyers.
One of the main problems the school must tackle has to do with its housing. The school now resides in a temporary building from an investor's company, Assmann explains. The original plan was to move out of it as soon as the school could create a new building, he tells CNE in a phone interview. They already had a building site, but the plans changed because there was much protest against the idea of the authorities to create buildings in a nature park.
Until now, the school, however, did not mind staying where they were. “Our campus is really nice, no one would say that it is not permanent housing.” The Vienna authorities did not mind either and extended the permit to stay in the building every five years.
Until now. The current permit expires in October, says Assmann. “We put in the request for extension in January, but suddenly politicians seem to hesitate with giving permission”, he adds. And that is a huge problem, because the school has no back-up plan for housing as their plans for permanent housing had already been blocked in 2014. The hope of the school is now that the responsible politicians will yet grant the school another permit extension.
Innovative education
However, there is also another option. “If the educational department from the Republic of Austria finds this location a good site for a school, we might be allowed to continue”, says Assmann. “After all, many have praised us for the innovative education we offer. Maybe they could even allow us to expand our school with a high school.”
This would also solve the problem of the permit, mentioned above. If the Republic of Austria would change the official designation of the land from nature reserve to permanent building, the extension would not even be necessary anymore.
Liabilities
Yet, there is another obstacle the school must conquer if it wants to continue. The building of Mayflower Christian Academy is owned by a company that builds temporary housing. In 2014, this company put down the building the school is now in. The school and the company have been on good terms for many years, Assmann explains. The company always showed great understanding for the fact that the school was struggling financially in the beginning, especially during and after Covid and during the time of extreme inflation, and was flexible enough to find a solution for that together with the school.
However, the head of the foundation retired in the spring and left the company in the hands of a board, headed by a new CEO. Things changed quickly after that. “She invited us in April to talk through things”, Assmann says. “She told us, our lawyers and our advisors, that we have to pay the open liabilities within ten days, although we had different agreements with her predecessor. We couldn't and she wanted to end the contract. Despite repeated attempts to find another agreement, this is still what she wants to do. Fortunately, this period is now extended until December 31st. Yet, that means that we are in desperate need of 600,000 euros.”
Hezekiah
Marcuss Assmann sees the resistance against the school as a spiritual battle, he tells CNE. Vienna is a very socialist and liberal city, and the authorities do not seem to like private schools, such as the Mayflower Christian Academy is, he says.
Sometimes, it feels like the time of Hezekiah, the CEO of the school says. “King Hezekiah also had to combat an enemy that was much stronger than he was.”
However, Assmann does not want to lose hope. He points out that national elections are in September and city elections are next year. These events could change a lot in the attitude of politicians, both nationally and locally, towards the school.
Mayflower Christian Academy also receives a lot of support from the board of education from the Catholic schools in Austria and even from the cardinal of Austria, Christoph Schönborn himself. “The support is very welcome.”
The school has hired a lawyer to give legal advice, Assmann says. Yet, he knows that one of the best weapons is prayer. “Please pray for us intensely. The battle is in full swing.”
Christian education in Austria
Armin Wunderli, head of the Schulamt Freikirchen in Austria, does not see a broader trend of resistance against Christian schools in his country. He sees the problems of the Mayflower Christian Academy as a local case, he says to CNE in a phone interview. “We have many types of religious schools here, Buddhist schools, Catholic schools and Evangelical schools, for example. And the rules are all the same for them.”
It could be that some regional governments don't like private schools in general, Wunderli acknowledges. However, they do not have the authority to shut them down. “However, they can make it very difficult for a school to operate.” Although he cannot predict the future, Wunderli is not too worried about the freedom for Christian schools in Austria. “The law in Austria cannot be changed so fast.”
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