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教育的配慮
学校主催の卒業式を生徒がボイコットしたことで知られる埼玉県・所沢高校で、入学式をめぐって再び問題が起きた。国旗掲揚と「君が代」斉唱を主張する校長と生徒会が対立したのだ。新入生の約4割が学校主催の入学式を欠席するという事態に、校長は、式に不参加の学生の入学も「教育的配慮」から許可すると宣言した—。
Educational Considerations
By DOUGLAS LUMMIS
The brave, bright students of Tokorozawa High School in Saitama Prefecture are giving us all an education in democracy.
I'm sure you know the story as well as I do. But let me summarize the main events as I have learned them from the newspapers.
Tokorozawa High has a tradition of student self-government. In particular, students had participated in the planning of the graduation and entrance ceremonies. And until last year the Hinomaru flag and the song "Kimigayo" had not been part of those ceremonies. But last year newly appointed principal Tatsuo Uchida announced his intention to change both ceremonies into the rigid patriotic rituals demanded by the Education Ministry.
The students courageously made plans for their own ceremonies, with the support of teachers and parents. As a result, in March there were two graduation celebrations, one planned by the principal, the other by the students. From a student population of 2,236, a total of 20 graduating students and 11 others came to the principal's ceremony, where they could look at the flag with the big red spot and listen to a recording of "Kimigayo." The student planned celebration, on the other hand, was packed.
From the standpoint of the principal, this was a disaster. His authority was being undermined. And now the students were planning an alternative entrance ceremony as well. In what was probably an act of panic, the principal sent out threatening letters to the parents of the incoming students, saying that students who did not attend the "official" entrance ceremony would not be admitted to the school.
The tactic backfired. Students, parents and teachers were angered. A group of graduates hired lawyers and threatened legal action. And the principal's shameful behavior got publicity all over the country.
Principal Uchida lost. His "official" ceremony was boycotted by 40 percent of the incoming students. This number is remarkably large, considering the principal's threats and considering that the students were not yet part of the school community. They were newcomers. During his ceremony, Uchida announced that, after all, he would grant admission to the absent students "for educational considerations."
It is ironic that, in the very ceremony he claimed was of high dignity and grave importance, Uchida would make such a dishonest statement. "For educational considerations" — nonsense! This statement was only an attempt to hide the fact that he was defeated. He admitted the students because he did not have the power to do otherwise. He had no legal basis to reject them. If he had tried, he would have been sued in a court of law, and probably would have lost.
But there is a more important reason. When students are united, they generate real power. A school that begins expelling its own students is only attacking itself. A school with no students is no school. The more students a principal expels, the fewer he has over which to be principal. And if he expels all his students, he is no longer a "principal" at all.
If Mr. Uchida changed his mind "for educational considerations," perhaps the "education" he means is the one he received from his students, an education in the nature of democratic power.
The brave, bright students of Tokorozawa High School in Saitama Prefecture are giving us all an education in democracy.
I'm sure you know the story as well as I do. But let me summarize the main events as I have learned them from the newspapers.
Tokorozawa High has a tradition of student self-government. In particular, students had participated in the planning of the graduation and entrance ceremonies. And until last year the Hinomaru flag and the song "Kimigayo" had not been part of those ceremonies. But last year newly appointed principal Tatsuo Uchida announced his intention to change both ceremonies into the rigid patriotic rituals demanded by the Education Ministry.
The students courageously made plans for their own ceremonies, with the support of teachers and parents. As a result, in March there were two graduation celebrations, one planned by the principal, the other by the students. From a student population of 2,236, a total of 20 graduating students and 11 others came to the principal's ceremony, where they could look at the flag with the big red spot and listen to a recording of "Kimigayo." The student planned celebration, on the other hand, was packed.
From the standpoint of the principal, this was a disaster. His authority was being undermined. And now the students were planning an alternative entrance ceremony as well. In what was probably an act of panic, the principal sent out threatening letters to the parents of the incoming students, saying that students who did not attend the "official" entrance ceremony would not be admitted to the school.
The tactic backfired. Students, parents and teachers were angered. A group of graduates hired lawyers and threatened legal action. And the principal's shameful behavior got publicity all over the country.
Principal Uchida lost. His "official" ceremony was boycotted by 40 percent of the incoming students. This number is remarkably large, considering the principal's threats and considering that the students were not yet part of the school community. They were newcomers. During his ceremony, Uchida announced that, after all, he would grant admission to the absent students "for educational considerations."
It is ironic that, in the very ceremony he claimed was of high dignity and grave importance, Uchida would make such a dishonest statement. "For educational considerations" — nonsense! This statement was only an attempt to hide the fact that he was defeated. He admitted the students because he did not have the power to do otherwise. He had no legal basis to reject them. If he had tried, he would have been sued in a court of law, and probably would have lost.
But there is a more important reason. When students are united, they generate real power. A school that begins expelling its own students is only attacking itself. A school with no students is no school. The more students a principal expels, the fewer he has over which to be principal. And if he expels all his students, he is no longer a "principal" at all.
If Mr. Uchida changed his mind "for educational considerations," perhaps the "education" he means is the one he received from his students, an education in the nature of democratic power.
Shukan ST: May 1, 1998
(C) All rights reserved
- summarize
- 要約する
- tradition
- 伝統
- student self-government
- 生徒の自治
- graduation and entrance ceremonies
- 卒業式と入学式
- newly appointed principal
- 新任の校長
- intention
- 意向
- change 〜 into the rigid patriotic ritual
- 〜 を厳粛な愛国的儀式に変える
- Education Ministry
- 文部省
- courageously
- 果敢にも
- graduation celebrations
- 卒業式
- was packed
- 満員だった
- From the standpoint of 〜
- 〜 の立場から見れば
- disaster
- 大失敗
- authority
- 権威
- was being undermined
- 傷つけられた
- alternative 〜
- 従来の公式式典とは違う 〜
- threatening letters
- 脅しの手紙
- incoming students
- 新入生
- tactic
- (校長の)策略
- backfired
- 裏目に出てしまった
- threatened legal action
- 法的手段に訴えると言った
- shameful
- 恥ずべき
- got publicity
- 広く知れわたった。
- lost
- 負けた
- remarkably
- 非常に
- considering 〜
- 〜 を考えると
- school community
- 学校組織
- grant admission to 〜
- 〜 に入学を許可する
- It is ironic that 〜
- 〜 とは皮肉だ
- in the very ceremony he claimed was 〜
- 彼が 〜 だと宣言したまさにその式でdignity
- 威厳
- grave
- おごそかな
- would make such a dishonest statement
- 真実味のないことを言った
- attempt
- 企て
- was defeated
- 負けた
- legal basis
- 法的根拠
- would have been sued in a court of law
- 裁判所に告訴されていただろう
- are united
- 団結する
- generate real power
- 本当の力を発揮する
- expelling
- 追い出す
- is only attacking itself
- 学校自体に打撃を与えるだけだ
- The more students a principal expels, the fewer he has over which to be principal.
- 校長にとっては、より多くの生徒を追い出そうとすればするほど、自分を校長としてあおぐ生徒が少なくなる
- democratic power
- 民主主義の力