Internal Censorship

Image credit: Andréia

I was shocked when I learnt that many secondary schools in Hong Kong vigorously exercise certain degree of "supervision" over various school publications. Students were asked to "make sure that articles about the School Improvement Project is positive and glamorous“ or that comments on school policies "not to be too critical". Articles which fail to meet such "criteria" would be barred from publication or need to be re-drafted.

I understand the reasons for putting a teacher in charge of various school publications which are mainly run by students to provide generic guidance and to offer advice when needed. But to teach our youths to write articles in favour of the school when students do not generically buy into such ideas is certainly detrimental to their learning. I do not see any harm in allowing our students to write whatever they think is true, given that they truly believe so. Schools should be a place that tolerate mistakes and provide for an environment where multilateral ideas are accepted and respected. I see no justification why a school's image should, in any case, be placed before the right to freedom of expression. After all, we do not want schools that produces loudspeakers that speaks for those in power.

Do not blame our younger generation for accepting the status quo when our schools are teaching us to do so.