Music school director: lessons will continue for now

There has been a lot of unrest at Berlin’s music schools recently because of the uncertain situation for freelance teachers. For the school year that has just begun, there is an interim solution, says music school director Ulrike Philippi. However, there is no legal certainty.

School started again on Monday not only at general schools in Berlin and Brandenburg. Music schools also started classes again. In Berlin, there is great uncertainty until shortly before the end of the holidays. After a social court ruling, it was unclear whether they would be allowed to continue employing their freelance workers – the issue is suspected of bogus self-employment.

“We now have an interim solution,” reports Ulrike Philippi, director of the Leo Kestenberg Music School in Tempelhof-Schöneberg. The districts have passed resolutions that the contracts of the freelance teachers can be signed. “So lessons will continue for now.”

Philippi: We need legal certainty for music schools

In principle, however, the situation has not really been defused. After all, according to the ruling of the social court, the freelance workers cannot continue as before, says Philippi. The Senate is in talks with the pension insurance company. “I therefore very much hope that they will soon find a solution for Berlin’s music schools that creates legal certainty and enables the offer, which is in high demand, to be possible in the long term.”