Today I saw Hung Hsiu-chu’s debunking of rumors on Facebook regarding the recent high school students’ anti-curriculum movement. Because the content is very reasonable, and given that another group stormed the National Education Agency’s gates, I’ve excerpted some of the key points from her clarification for everyone to consider. Is it true that now, you don’t need to talk about reason; as long as you call yourself a student, you can get unlimited support from society no matter what you do?
Initially, when I heard students shouting against the curriculum adjustments, I also questioned the appropriateness of the adjustments. However, Hung Hsiu-chu’s article makes me firmly believe that, f***ing, **these self-proclaimed students are engaging in political infighting again**.
If you’re someone who doesn’t like being brainwashed, I believe this article is worth reading.
Hung Hsiu-chu’s original article was titled “President Tsai, please don’t manipulate politics on campus and use the curriculum as a tool for struggle!”
This curriculum adjustment is very minor, almost unchanged. This is my statement based on facts after carefully understanding the content of the curriculum adjustments and having in-depth discussions with the Ministry of Education and many scholars. …The Ministry of Education…should bravely defend correct positions. History can be viewed from different perspectives, but the historical viewpoint in textbooks should be constitutional, uphold national dignity, and align with the understanding and emotions of the majority of the people.
A few days ago, President Ma, during a speech at the College of Social Sciences at National Taiwan University, had a insightful exchange with students who questioned him about the curriculum guidelines:
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The old curriculum only mentioned comfort women; the new curriculum adds the term “forced” into comfort women work. “If someone told me they were voluntary, I would never believe it, so adding this, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.”
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Rumors circulated that the new curriculum removed the 228 Incident and the White Terror; the truth is: Not only were they not removed, but they were emphasized! “As a government, we must acknowledge, apologize for, and correct the mistakes we made in the past. We have always had this attitude towards the families of those involved in the 228 Incident, and I cannot allow it to be removed.”
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Why say “Taiwan’s liberation” and not “takeover”? Because this land has always been ours! “This treaty, including the Treaty of Shimonoseki, is an unequal treaty. The Japanese forced us to cede territory by force!”…
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Absolutely no textbook says that our country’s highest peak is the Himalayas. “Absolutely not! These are all misunderstandings, and it absolutely must be clarified…”
…President Ma…demonstrated the government’s humility regarding past mistakes and, more importantly, defended the dignity of Taiwanese people who lived through the War of Resistance against Japan and the Japanese occupation. …I believe that the DPP’s long-standing practice of instigating and financially supporting specific anti-government protests, using “student movements” and “social movements” to package political motives, is something that has been heard of and is no longer surprising…
It’s a good thing that young people care about public issues and participate in social movements, but please don’t let political ideological disputes intrude into the educational field, using students as props for political performances.
Unfortunately, Chairperson Tsai has repeatedly escalated her curriculum adjustments. A statement she made at a fundraising dinner for a pro-independence group, “If the high school curriculum can’t be maintained, the junior high school curriculum will be next,” has offended me.
I ask you… do you intend to incite junior high school students next? Having served on the Education Committee for many years, I have always maintained that politicians can have political stances, but please don’t extend your political influence into education…
Taiwan is already a society with open and transparent information. Chairperson Tsai, please carefully review each and every clause of the curriculum and offer a proper apology to the elderly women forced into sexual slavery, the many heroes who sacrificed their lives in the resistance against Japan, and the historical truth you have distorted!