The Austrian authorities are investigating the case of a nine-year-old elementary school student in Voitsberg who was forced to write an exam outside in freezing weather because he had no mask on, according to OE24 news outlet.
Disabled student Jason has an exemption from the mandatory wearing of face masks in the classroom and is regularly tested for Covid-19 since the beginning of January.
Nevertheless, the teacher of his class did not allow him to write an exam with other children. The photo of the boy working outside his classroom in temperatures of -1 Celsius has shocked Austria.
The boy’s parents hired a lawyer and are considering transferring their son to another school.
Politician Markus Leinfellner (Freedom Party of Austria) considers the case an “odd class scandal.” According to him, it is unacceptable for teachers to treat this student as a leper. Leinfellner plans to discuss the case with the Austrian Ministry of Education and its Styrian representation, which has recently announced that they will investigate the circumstances of the case.
The authenticity of the photograph of the student in the schoolyard, which started the whole affair, was later confirmed.
Austria recently instituted its vaccine mandate, which will fine those who refuse the vaccine between €600 and €3,600 up to four times a year. The mandate, the first in the Western world, has sparked mass protests in Austria.
