Saturday, September 13, 2014

Tokyo Education Board adopts a tough stance on high school history textbooks




 Media reported that concerns spread over the government’s intervention into history education and that Tokyo high schools are disciplining themselves after the Tokyo Board of Education meeting on Aug. 28.
 No high school chose a "History Textbook A" or "History Textbook B" because they describe that “coercion is applied to civil servants in some municipalities surrounding flag hoisting and singing of the national anthem in schools.” This is the second year these books were not selected for classroom use.
 Considering this description a problem, the education board warned every high school in Tokyo that their use of the textbooks were “inappropriate”  Consequently, no high schools chose them
 The media reported that there is a growing concern over the official intervention into education in terms of content and that the Tokyo high schools abide by the board’s policy, which will lead to "excess self-regulation."
 The committee members did not express any opinions as if they were confident with zero adoptation of these books. They agreed on the decision fairly and justly in deference to the choices for all the subjects and the choices made by all the high schools.(NEZU Kimiko)
The photo shows the reporter (left )and Tokyo Board of Education member 

 まともな教科書は使わせない!~教育内容への介入すすめる都教委

8 月28日の都教委定例会・第一議案は、来年度使用都立高校用教科書の採択について。東京新聞の28日夕刊トップは、「実教『日本史』来年度も都立高ゼロ」 「教育内容へ介入懸念」「都教委方針 学校側従う」「自主規制拡大の恐れ」の見出しで、非常に的確にかつ分かりやすく報じています。都教委の介入により、国旗掲揚・国歌斉唱をめぐり「一部の自 治体で公務員への強制の動きがある」と記述した実教出版「高校日本史A」「高校日本史B」を選定した学校は昨年に続き今年もゼロ校。したがって、採択もゼ ロ。提案する都教委事務方も、教科書採択をする教育委員の面々も、この「ゼロ」に自信を持つかのように定例会では意見は述べず、形の上では全教科、各学校 の選定を尊重し、「適正かつ公正に」教科書を採択したということになりました。(根津公子) 
*写真=筆者(左)と都教委職員

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