Global Takes

NEA Today, Sep 2005

Approved but ignored in Japan

Huge Chinese demonstrations broke out last spring when the Japanese government gave its okay to textbooks whitewashing Japan's war crimes in China, including the "rape of Nanking" when hundreds of thousands of civilians were slaughtered. But the Japanese government's position does not represent mainstream public opinion there, the Associated Press reports. Only 18 out of 11,102 Japanese junior high schools actually use the controversial text, and the Japan Teachers' Union denounced it.

Banned in Turkey

The Turkish Supreme Court has ruled Turkish teachers' union Egitim Sen can be banned for advocating children be taught in their own language. Kurdish groups want schools to include their language, but the country's constitution declares only Turkish is the mother tongue.

The union has been fighting a see-saw battle in the courts, supported by other Turkish unions and by Education International, of which NEA is a member.

Slimmer in Singapore

A campaign to fight fat among Singapore's children through mandatory exercise, weight monitoring, and healthier lunch programs seems to be working. Ten percent are overweight, down from 14 percent 10 years ago.