March 22 & 24, 2012
Osaka’s local party Ishin-no-Kai, the Liberal Democratic, and Komei parties used their majority to railroad through controversial ordinance bills authorizing the governor’s intervention in and control over public education and public workers through an Osaka Prefectural Assembly plenary session on March 23.
The Japanese Communist Party and the Democratic Party of Japan opposed the two bills.
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On March 21 at an assembly committee meeting, JCP representative Kuchihara Makoto argued that it is absolutely unacceptable to allow administrative authorities to meddle in the field of education.
Signatures of 27,000 people opposing the draft ordinance bills reached the prefectural assembly on the same day, bringing the total number of signatures submitted to date 207,000.
At a rally in front of the assembly building, Kuretake Yoko of the New Japan Women’s Association (Shinfujin) criticized the committee for passing the bill, saying that the administration’s role is to improve conditions for learning, not to intervene in educational content.
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Osaka Bar Association President Nakamoto Kazuhiro on March 19 published a statement that the association is firmly opposed to the two ordinance bills.
The statement warns that stirring up competition by publicizing the disparity among schools and pupils will lead to devastation in education. It also declares that making decisions based on the political judgment of the governor or assembly members is inappropriate for education, a long-range national project.
The statement also points out that control and rule of teachers and staff under the threat of penal dismissals may be in violation of the Constitution.
The Japanese Communist Party and the Democratic Party of Japan opposed the two bills.
* * *
On March 21 at an assembly committee meeting, JCP representative Kuchihara Makoto argued that it is absolutely unacceptable to allow administrative authorities to meddle in the field of education.
Signatures of 27,000 people opposing the draft ordinance bills reached the prefectural assembly on the same day, bringing the total number of signatures submitted to date 207,000.
At a rally in front of the assembly building, Kuretake Yoko of the New Japan Women’s Association (Shinfujin) criticized the committee for passing the bill, saying that the administration’s role is to improve conditions for learning, not to intervene in educational content.
* * *
Osaka Bar Association President Nakamoto Kazuhiro on March 19 published a statement that the association is firmly opposed to the two ordinance bills.
The statement warns that stirring up competition by publicizing the disparity among schools and pupils will lead to devastation in education. It also declares that making decisions based on the political judgment of the governor or assembly members is inappropriate for education, a long-range national project.
The statement also points out that control and rule of teachers and staff under the threat of penal dismissals may be in violation of the Constitution.
