Another group of professors urged the government to stop its plan to standardize history textbooks Monday, saying it goes against the democratic values and creative education.
The call came in a statement released by 132 professors from Yonsei University opposing the plan being pushed by the government to change the system. The government has raised the need to forge a common understanding of history in a country where many people are deeply divided along political, regional and ideological fault lines.
Currently, eight private publishing companies print history textbooks after winning approval from the government. Middle and high schools then can choose any of the eight publishers’ textbooks.
“The textbooks being circulated right now are based on common viewpoints of the academic circle, and they have already been approved by the government,” they said in the statement. “If the state-authored system is implemented, it would deny the knowledge and perspectives shared by the majority of people in the field and impose the interpretation of those holding power.
“Political authority and history should keep a certain distance,” they said. “A sound leader of a democratic society should focus on policies to improve the reality and future of the people for their happiness instead of engaging in the interpretation of history.”
They also said imposing a standardized view of history infringes upon the neutrality and autonomy in education guaranteed in the constitution.
About 160 professors from Korea University and some 1,100 liberal scholars and researchers of history and history education, as well as over 15,000 teachers in the field have voiced their opposition to the government’s plan.
Meanwhile, conservative civic groups support the plan, arguing that most textbooks being circulated are left-leaning.
“They all describe the country’s history in a negative light,” a group consisting of retired principals said in a statement released last Thursday. About a thousand retired principals participated in releasing the statement.
“As the future is made from history, having a negative view of it and being self-abusive over it should be avoided,” Kim Moo-sung, chairman of the ruling Saenuri Party, said. “State-authored history textbooks written based on corroborated facts and a neutral perspective should be introduced.”
Rep. Kang Eun-hee of the ruling party also said while the current system seems to respect diversity, it does not, as schools only choose one among the eight options and students learn with the one chosen. She said the proposed system could contribute to establishing a more balanced concept of history.
“To keep the nation from being split in the classrooms, we need to teach a common history,” Education Minister Hwang Woo-yea said.
The Ministry of Education plans to make a decision on the issue by the end of the month. (Yonhap)
