"They don't discuss the war at school": in Finland, an 11-year-old Ukrainian girl was forced to sing the Russian "Kalynka"

The students were offered to sing the Russian song "Kalinka", but the twin, whose name is Nicole, told the teacher that she is Ukrainian and does not want to sing in Russian. However, the music teacher said that "the school does not discuss the war. " "My daughter realized that if she didn't sing, she would get a bad grade, so she was forced to sing. But it made her very sad," said Nicole's mother, Iryna Gorkun-Silen.

The woman emphasized that the song "Kalinka" is a song famously performed by the Red Army choir, which is associated with the Russian military and imperial past. In her opinion, similar tasks in educational institutions contribute to the "normalization of the culture of the aggressor state. " The director of the school where the incident took place, Elinor Hellman, noted that the institution is "open to all children, regardless of their background" and adheres to the state curriculum.

"In subjects like music, students can be exposed to different forms of cultural expression that have been carefully selected for classroom learning for educational reasons. Teachers are encouraged to respond to students' questions thoughtfully, taking into account the needs of the whole group," explained Heplman. At the same time, the Finnish Board of Education noted that due to the war in Ukraine, some cultural topics may be particularly sensitive and cause emotional reactions.

"If a student finds an assignment or a song in a music lesson unpleasant, for example, for personal or family reasons, the teacher has pedagogical freedom and the opportunity to take flexible measures. This may mean, for example, choosing an alternative song, an assignment with accompaniment or another way of participation," said Heidi Ruonala, a lawyer at the National Board of Education. According to Iryna Gorkun-Silen, this is not the first time such situations have occurred in the country.