2009-03-26, 13:39
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#491
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Moving in circles
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Singapore
Age: 49
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf
...things apparently don't look rosy for the Teachers' Union, because the more thuggish elements of the nationalistic faction have resorted to intimidation tactics to scare incalcitrant schools into submission. It's no secret that the yakuza are ultra-nationalists with close links to the national government, for example, so you can well imagine what kinds of tactics they would use...
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Quote:
Tokyo (March 26, 2009): A Tokyo court today rejected a damages suit by teachers who were reprimanded for refusing to stand and face the flag to sing the national anthem, which they say praises Japan's militarist past.
The Tokyo education board has since 2003 ordered public high school teachers and staff to stand in front of the national red-sun flag and sing Kimi ga Yo (Thy Reign) in praise of the emperor at school ceremonies.
The group of 171 public high school teachers and staff claim the board breached the constitution when it verbally reprimanded them and, in one case, docked a plaintiff's pay, for failing to follow the directive.
But Tokyo District Court presiding judge Shigeru Nakanishi said it was reasonable to ask teachers to take part in uniform school activities and found the punishments did "neither force any particular philosophy nor ban any".
Teachers' unions have argued that respecting the national anthem harks back to the nation's militarism under the late Emperor Hirohito, who was considered divine during World War II.
Tokyo is led by governor Shintaro Ishihara, an outspoken conservative.
The plaintiffs said they would appeal the ruling.
- AGENCE FRENCH-PRESSE
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