Officials advise teachers to help students "cultivate habit and confidence" while singing anthem.

Hong Kong officials have singled out at least two schools for singing the Chinese national anthem “too softly”.

Teachers at a third school have been asked to help students “cultivate habit and confidence” in singing it.

Hong Kong has redoubled the emphasis on “patriotic” education since 2020 when China cracked down on the city’s pro-democracy movement.

Officials said students’ voices at the Hong Kong and Macau Lutheran Church Primary School were “soft and weak” and “should be strengthened”. At Yan Chai Hospital Lim Por Yen Secondary School, teachers were told to “help students develop the habit of singing the national anthem loudly in unison”.

  • @nekandro@lemmy.mlEnglish
    -17•5 months ago

    I remember getting scolded for not singing O Canada properly.

    Why is this even a story? This shit happens in schools because wrestling kids to do stuff is hard.

    Oh wait, I forgot, China bad.

      • @nekandro@lemmy.mlEnglish
        -11•5 months ago

        Believe it or not, there’s nothing wrong with telling someone to sing more loudly.

        • @NateNate60@lemmy.worldEnglish
          7•5 months ago

          In a normal context, I would agree with you but when louder singing is enforced by the State then I take issue with that.

          • @nekandro@lemmy.mlEnglish
            1•5 months ago

            Is your principal not elected by the school board (a municipal government)? A superintendent?

        • @VeganCheesecake@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
          5•5 months ago

          I’d go in a different direction - requiring someone to sing your national anthem is wrong. It’s wrong when the U.S. do it, it’s wrong when Canada does, it’s wrong when China does it.

          I find national pride hard to understand, but forced displays of national pride are really iffy.

          • @nekandro@lemmy.mlEnglish
            2•5 months ago

            Fair enough. I’m just saying that the fact that this is an article in the first place is because of “China bad,” not because it’s anything unique or special.

    • EchEnglish
      7•5 months ago

      Did a non-teacher, government official scold you directly? No? Ok, not the same thing then.

      • @UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.worldEnglish
        -3•5 months ago

        non-teacher, government official

        Do Principals count? How about Superintendents? State legislators who pass these pledge mandates? What about the school cop who comes to get you after the teacher writes you up? Or the cop in the ISS classroom who holds you until your parents pick you up? Or the school administrator who processes your expulsion?

      • @nekandro@lemmy.mlEnglish
        -4•5 months ago

        Does the principle count, or do you consider that a teacher? What about the superintendent?

        People want to make a good impression on their superiors. There’s nothing wrong with that.