““We teach students the myths about Zelensky?” Why a new history textbook caused indignation-BBC Ukraine on April 7, 21:31 To share: a textbook of Ukrainian history (photo: Air Force) on social networks is a discussion around a new textbook of Ukrainian history for 11th grade, namely a section of modern history of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Teachers, parents, community activists criticize authors for favorable light”, – WRITE ON: ua.news
“We teach students the myths about Zelensky?” Why a new history textbook caused outrage – BBC Ukraine
Textbook of Ukrainian History (Photo: Air Force)
The social networks are discussing a new textbook of Ukrainian history for 11th grade, namely the section of modern history of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Teachers, parents, public activists criticize the authors for being favorable for the authorities, the BBC Ukraine news department writes. NV publishes material within the framework of information cooperation.
The contributors are also concerned about whether children who live in war, study it, and how to talk about it with students are ready.
In the Morning Publishing House, any political implication in a reprinted textbook is rejected, and one of its authors calls this scandal a planned information attack.
The Air Force Ukraine figured out what was angered by the contributors.
Politics instead of history
A textbook on the history of Ukraine around which the discussion is in place is in fact a reprimanded publication of the textbook of the same authors – Alexander Gisem, Alexander Martyniuk and Akima Galimov.
Behind him now children study history in schools and he is one of the many textbooks that can choose schools for study. In general, Gisem and co -authors are one of the most popular in schools.
For teachers to choose the textbooks that will be taught children from September 1, they are prepared for printing and issued much earlier, half a year before the start of their studies in September.
In a supplemented edition around which the dispute continues, the events are completed in 2024. The publication has a different design.
It was in these attached materials that, at the end of the textbook, some of the contributors saw attempts to shade the inconvenient events for the authorities of 2022-2024, to reduce the role of some figures and increase – the role of the current authorities.
“First, the story has not yet said its word about the role of Zelensky, so you should not hurry. (…) It is not necessary to evaporate politics instead of history and play elections. Because it is a dull agitation, a postcard, not a book, ”Irina Gerashchenko, a deputy of the European Solidarity, is indignant on Facebook.
It also goes to the authors for “large construction” instead of preparation for war, which is written in a positive context in the textbook while criticism against Vladimir Zelensky has been heard during all years of the war.
“Textbook with cult ”: We teach Ukrainian students myths about Zelensky. This is not a textbook about history. It’s about a future campaign. It’s about “Teaching, look at how beautifully done. ” It is a political PR booklet that has no answers to the questions that really bother, ” – so strictly described the book on Facebook, the correspondent Vladislav Smirnov.
Not the first to start a discussion on social networks was a young teacher of history Maria Volotilo.
“In fact, we have a kind of arrangement between historians – we do not discuss professionally events that are less than five years old. Because too little time has passed, we are not yet objective, not all the consequences can be obvious. And the power that managed the state in 2020 and further in power, ”adds the teacher.
According to Maria Volotilo, she does not understand “by what criteria they chose, what to talk about and what – not.” She further describes the events that have been abandoned by Vladimir Zelensky’s opponents of power since 2022: about the unwillingness for the war, the peace of the authorities and the invitation to the barbecues, about the unspecified evacuation of people from the border territories.
We got acquainted with the section of the textbook, which refers to a large -scale invasion of Russia.
It is built on the chronology of events and contains many facts about the protection of Kiev, the defense of Kharkiv, the battle of the southern regions, the defense of Mariupol, international assistance, refugees, forced export of Ukrainian citizens to Russia, etc. There are indeed no grades of the actions of the authorities or anyone else, the conclusions about the mistakes that politicians and the military say.
Publishers’ response and authors
The Ministry of Education and Science of the Air Force Ukraine said they did not plan comments on this topic.
At the same time, the main supervisory board of the publishing house “Morning »Victor Kruglov was surprised by the overlays and wrote on Facebook that for almost 30 years of publishing, textbooks always wrote historians, not politicians, and” there was no case when someone “above” gave instructions what and how to write in educational materials. “
“The textbooks of our publishing house before the competitive choice are careful: they are studied by methodologists and scientists, practitioners are testing in their lessons. Only after taking into account all the recommendations the textbook participates in the competition, and there it is absolutely open – teachers choose on the basis of presentations and electronic versions, ”he adds.
Not to look for betrayal, where it is not, one of the authors of the history textbook and the author of the popular project in YouTube “Real History” Akim Galimov. He considers a scandal with a textbook “a large -scale planned and apparently custom information attack. “
“Order the tutorial, look at it, then you can give an estimate. When we give the assessment without reading, we become the object of manipulation. Because someone has already made conclusions for us, ”he advises.
How to talk about war
And another topic they discuss is whether children, even older age, are ready to study at the school.
“This is a strange situation – to discuss events with children, which were the same children. It is difficult to talk about Irpin with the children who fled from there in 2022 and saw the blasting of dams. It is difficult to talk to Kharkiv babies, especially Saltivka. Children from the south are mostly silent and commented. All this material passes through all their triggers. I am not easy to discuss with them 2014, but here – Bucha 2022, ”writes history teacher Maria Volotilo.
“Many people can not imagine how difficult it is for these children today, especially morally. Did you consult any psychologists who work with our children? The situation is extraordinary in that all this, which you have written in this book, is still happening. Children are injured, I tell you this from my own experience. And from my own experience, I am not sure that our children need it now, ”the journalist Oksana Torop addresses the educators.
However, Alim Galimov believes that he needs.
“I believe that a lesson, along with the teacher, is just a safe environment where you need to speak. But again, it is a question that historians, teachers, MES have to discuss. Without emotions, without marking “betrayal “is” not betrayal, “he says.