Court says metropolitan board of education illegally punished special school principal

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Court says metropolitan board of education illegally punished special school principal

The Tokyo High Court on April 9 upheld a lower court decision and ordered the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education to withdraw its punishment of a special school principal over sex education that came under attack from conservative members of the metropolitan assembly as "extreme".

In September 2003, the metropolitan board of education suspended Nanao High School Principal Kanazaki Mitsuru from office for one month and demoted him to teacher, claiming that his school provided students with an "inappropriate" sex education. However, it later changed the reason for the punishment by blaming him for "inappropriately organizing school classes."

Following the lower court ruling, the High Court judged that the education board groundlessly determined the schools' organization of classes as inappropriate. It ruled that the punishment amounts to the abuse of power and is thus illegal.

At a press conference after the ruling, Kanazaki mentioned that the judge referred in detail to the school's class organization and said, "The ruling significantly appreciated our carefully-considered education plans. I believe that our education for disabled children was appropriate." He demanded that the Board of Education not appeal against the ruling.

The Nanao School initiated its own sex education course for disabled children so that they would be able to correctly understand their own bodies. This course, using dolls with sex organs, had parents understanding and approval. In July 2003, three metropolitan assembly members of the Liberal Democratic and Democratic parties criticized the sex education course as "extreme" at an assembly meeting. The Board of Education seized school educational materials and reprimanded Kanazaki and other teachers involved. On March 12, the Tokyo District Court ordered the three lawmakers and the education board to pay compensation to the affected Nanao teachers.

- Akahata, April 10, 2009