‘I won’t let them turn into pawns for the military’ Meduza’s Russian readers on how they’re protecting their children from pro-war propaganda in schools — Meduza
by river-beaver
‘I won’t let them turn into pawns for the military’ Meduza’s Russian readers on how they’re protecting their children from pro-war propaganda in schools — Meduza
by river-beaver
1 comment
The upcoming school year is expected to bring a surge of propaganda in Russia’s educational institutions, surpassing any previous period in modern history. Events, lectures, and ceremonies in support of the war are set to be combined with new, state-approved curricula, including a new “unified” history textbook for high schoolers that has a chapter on the invasion of Ukraine. Meduza reached out to readers in Russia who sent their kids back to school on September 1 and asked them to share their strategies for safeguarding their children against propaganda. We’re publishing some of the most interesting responses below.
Varvara, St. Petersburg
Mother of a three-year-old (kindergarten), an eight-year-old (second grade), an 11-year-old (fifth grade) and a 16-year-old (eleventh grade).
Propaganda comes from the upper echelons. They force schools to have “Important Conversations,” flag-raising ceremonies, educational advisors, “Youth Army” groups… But these innovations are not welcomed amongst teachers or school directors and are treated with total disregard.
My children don’t go to “Important Conversations” lessons. I let them skip assemblies and any other events that will involve propaganda or glorification of the war. To avoid the issues with the new history syllabus, my kids decided not to pick history or social studies as options for the Unified State Exam. We decided instead to study 20th-century history at home, looking at different views on historical events and how our ancestors lived in that period.
Elena, Moscow
Mother of a 15-year-old (tenth grade) and a 17-year-old (eleventh grade)
I’m concerned but I’m not afraid [of the propaganda]. I have precocious and intelligent children. I believe that if, over the last year and a half of the war or perhaps even longer than that, a family has prioritized the right values and nurtured trusting relationships, then propaganda doesn’t need to be frightening at all.