Education minister wants schools to be more patriotic

"We are beginning wide social consultation on whether or not to introduce the new subject," declared Giertych. He plans that the lessons on patriotism would include meetings with World War II veterans, with people who fought against communism and with the participants of UN peace missions. The first example of patriotic education is already in place. Yesterday Giertych issued a decree ordering school headmasters to begin all school ceremonies with the Polish national anthem. The plans of the Minister sparked protests from the leader of the Association of Polish Teachers Slawomir Bochniarz who declared, "If the Minister says that a new subject has to be introduced to schools he therefore negatively assesses the quality of work of my colleagues. This is unfair, unjust and results from the ignorance of the Minister," concluded Bochniarz (Rzeczpospolita, p. A3) E.B.