The promises of empty schools were empty.
The initiatives conducted by Shtab (Russian for “headquarters”) for Protection of Russian Schools turned out to be a mere barking. To save its face, in yesterday’s “Chas” newspaper Shtab announced a new strategy in its fight to preserve the education in the Russian language. The organization encourages ‘the fighters’ to send their children back to schools to begin preparation for the new actions of protest.
This time: the legal way.
A group of pro-Russian MPs filed a petition with the Constitutional Court to consider the case of the new law on education in light of the international conventions signed by the Latvian government. “What the court will decide will greatly depend on what we do,” the newspaper quotes members of the organization. Shtab encourages parents to be involved in the parents-teahcer meetings and to express their opinions about the reform.
It should have been done long time ago.
But it doesn’t help the image of the Shtab when one of its avid supporters has connections to the Russian Duma. Alexander Kazakov was expelled from Latvia as a result of his activities among the Shtab members and his financial supprt to the organization the government deems borderline unfriendly toward the government. A Russian citizen and an adviser to Duma Speaker Vladimir Rogozin, Kazakov was expelled to Russia where he plans to file for… political exile. It’s a bit ridiculous that a citizen of Russia files for political shelter in his own country.
Although it started with a PR disaster, the reform goes on. Classes on physical education are most often taught in Latvian, reports Latvian-language daily Diena Monday. Then, goes history and business technology along with geography.
Education has the same value as
it always had, regardless of the
language it is taught in!
Children need to become better
educated in the language of the
country they reside in!
If the “protesters” of Latvian
language education just want to
be heard and to “run the show” in
Latvia, then they are just wasting
time while their children learn
NOTHING!—That makes no sense!
They can support Russian language
schools, if they have the means,
or have Russian Sunday Schools.—
The fact that children need to become more educated in the language of the country where they live seems to be irrelevant to the education reform per se. The reform does not increase the number of Latvian language classes taught in the minority schools, but rather increase the number of all subjects taught in Latvian in minority schools. Learning the language is one thing. Learning an unfamiliar science in less-that-proficient language is quite another.
The problem is this: these students have been going through school, TAUGHT IN RUSSIAN, for all their time in school… and now suddenly they have the take their exams in Latvian? Disgusting.
There’s way more to this stuff than meets the eye.
For a country like Latvia, I can only guess that living for 5,000 years on one place makes that place not only home, but sacred.
Latvian society exists. It has existed through servitude and through colonization and it still exists.
The Latvian state was set up to protect the interests of the pre-existing Latvian society.
The language law is their naive way of opening the door to all that have moved to Latvia since 1945 and saying that they too are welcome to join Latvian society. In order to participate, you should speak the majority tongue.
That’s the position. You can disagree. I’m sure many who’ve taken the time to learn the majority language wonder why they have to pay for less ambitious people who haven’t taken the time out to do so.
Shouldn’t it be up to the individual to sink or swim in society? Is it really the state’s job to make everyone proficient if some don’t want to be?
I’m not sure. When I went to public school there were certain courses I had to take, NO MATTER WHAT. Sequential Math II? I hated it, but Governor Mario Cuomo made sure I knew enough to pass my regents examination
It’s all up to what you consider to be “education.â€