Indoctrination with harmful ideas not part of academic freedom
Teachers are sometimes called “engineers of the soul” because what they say and do in class can influence the students for many years to come and even for their whole life. That is why parents and society in general tend to hold teachers to a very high standard in terms of professional integrity.
Unfortunately, some corrupt individuals from the education sector, driven by their own political preferences, have abused their professional status for years on end to indoctrinate innocent students with harmful ideas, including separatism and “achieving justice by breaking the law”, in the name of free speech and academic freedom. Some of them even filled students with hatred toward the authorities, turning them into foot soldiers to fight for their own political gains. Those teachers have in fact been doing the exact opposite of what their profession is meant to pursue.
The primary school teacher recently deregistered by the Education Bureau is one of such ill-motivated individuals who poisoned students’ minds with political prejudice and separatist ideas. The teacher in question committed those abuses systematically instead of inadvertently, as some opposition politicians claimed in his defense. In addition to harming students morally and intellectually, he also gave teachers a very bad name and damaged the reputation of the education sector. Deregistering a teacher is a serious penalty. That is why it has rarely been applied. In this case, it was absolutely necessary and appropriate, and the Education Bureau’s decision is perfectly in line with Article 47 of the Education Ordinance.
It is a common practice around the world to nurture patriotism and rule-oflaw awareness in schools, a responsibility all teachers are naturally expected to assume because they are professionally trained to give students useful knowledge as well as moral guidance and fundamental command of humanity and universal values. In this respect, teachers are obliged to set an example for students to follow. Take a look at the United States, which is regarded as a “model democracy” by some people in Hong Kong. Schools there strictly forbid the spread of secessionism, hate-mongering and advocacy of violence. Perpetrators are always dealt with swiftly and severely according to relevant laws and rules, including lengthy if not a life ban from teaching in schools. US law also requires schools to nurture patriotism and a sense of law-abiding civility in students in accordance with moral education guidelines issued by the federal government.
Unscrupulous teachers in Hong Kong who have been indoctrinating students with ideas of separatism and hatred toward the authorities are morally corrupt and, therefore, have no qualms about radicalizing students and turning them into “fighters” for their own political agenda. As a result of systematic indoctrination over the years, some 1,600 students arrested during the year-long “black revolution” were below the age of 18 and most of them were secondary school students, with the youngest being merely 12.
Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability is in growing danger of collapse unless bold and swift remedial actions are taken to depoliticize campuses. The Education Bureau still has a long, uphill journey.