Appeal by the Federal Bureau of Yabloko of 15.12.2022, published on 16.12.2022

Photo by Dmitry Lebedev, Kommersant

Yabloko demands to put an end to the militarisation of the school: not to make elementary military training a compulsory subject, not to allow for politicised and paramilitary events to be held at schools, and stop forcing schoolchildren to participate in “Conversations About the Important”. The Federal Bureau of the Yabloko Party sent such demands to deputies of the State Duma, members of the Federation Council and Minister of Education Sergei Kravtsov.

DO NOT ALLOW FOR THE MILITARISATION OF THE SCHOOL!

In parallel with the special military operation in Ukraine, another special operation has been unfolding, the one aimed at militarization of the Russian school.

Every day brings a new militaristic initiative: either make children forming up in the shape of the letter Z, then “Conversations About the Important”, then introduction of elementary military training, then “excursions” to the training grounds and teaching children to “repel a tank attack”.

At the same time, the right to choose, which is legally fixed for the child and the family, is violated – all events are declared compulsory, and those who refuse are threatened with punishment.

The political direction of these initiatives is obvious: ideological support for the political course of President Putin and the political party he relies on.

This represents a direct violation of the Constitution, which prohibits the establishment of a state or mandatory ideology, and the Federal Law “On Education in the Russian Federation”, which prohibits the activities of political parties in educational institutions and the use of educational activities by teachers for political propaganda, forcing students adopting political beliefs or abolishing them.

Militarisation of the school deforms schoolchildren’s minds, forming the idea that success in the world of the 21st century is ensured by military force, rather than modern science and technology, a powerful economy and the quality of human capital.

Education focused on preparing children for war and destruction, rather than for life and creation, becomes a source of fear and anxiety, reduces motivation both for learning and life. Today a significant part of children are worried about their mobilised fathers and older brothers, about their alarmed mothers and grandmothers, about the future of their families. Militarisation of the school will sharply intensify and exacerbate these anxieties. And the “sacralisation of death” – public statements about how to truly and correctly give one’s life for the sake of the state – deprives children of an understanding of the inherent value of life, and will inevitably cause an increase in depression, growth suicide rate and aggression.

We are certain that modern education needs humanisation, not militarization, and its main value should be a person.

Only in this case it will be possible to be ready for the tough requirements that the rapidly changing reality in the 21st century imposes on a person, and realise one’s responsibility for one’s life, one’s country and the planet.

We demand to put an end to militarisation of schools, prevent the introduction of elementary military training as a compulsory school subject, prevent politicised and paramilitary events in educational organisations, and stop the practices of forcing schoolchildren to participate in “Conversations About the Important”.

The desire of the authorities to use children for ideological support of the special operation is a threat to the future of our country.

We invite you to express your position on the initiatives aimed at militarisation of the Russian school and the unconstitutional introduction of mandatory state ideology in schools.

Nikolai Rybakov,

Yabloko Chairman

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Members of the Federal Political Committee of Yabloko, respected experts, have been working on the problems of education:

– Emilia Slabunova, Honoured Teacher of Russia, Honorary Worker of Secondary Education of the Russian Federation, and Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences;

– Alexander Shishlov, Chairman of the Committee on Education and Science of the State Duma in 2000 – 2003;

– Yevgeny Bunimovich, Honoured Teacher of Russia, Laureate of the Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation in the Field of Education, and Candidate of Pedagogical Science.