Estonia’s large Russian-speaking minority used to be taught in Russian. The government has responded to Russia’s invasion with a reform to end this. Now, lessons will only be taught in Estonian.
Estonia’s large Russian-speaking minority used to be taught in Russian. The government has responded to Russia’s invasion with a reform to end this. Now, lessons will only be taught in Estonian.
Where’s the problem with children learning the language of their country in school, if they don’t learn it at home?
This is not about having Estonian language classes for them, it is about putting them in classrooms for all subjects in a language they don’t speak.
Their families have had eighty fucking years to learn Estonian. What makes you think that “further accomodation” in Russian will give them any desire or impetus to learn the language?
Why punish children for things their parents and grandparents did?
Why punish the rest of Estonian society? Why continue to isolate children who can’t speak the local language?
You remind me of people arguing that America is an English-speaking country and those filthy Hispanics should just learn the language.
Estonia has a two-tiered education system. As mentioned in the video, in the Russian-speaking schools, students don’t perform nearly as well as in the Estonian-speaking schools. I’m optimistic that eliminating the language barrier would solve that, and students would be better off.
Also, in Estonia, the Russian-speaking group is a limited number of students (unlike in America, where there’s a regular, constant influx of migrants). The transition will be difficult, but at least the problem has an end in sight, and it’s only a generation or two away. In America, it would go on forever, which is why I wouldn’t support it in the U.S.
Uh… what the shit? That is your problem? Would you support it if Israel suddenly said they’d stop Arabic language education?
Transition to what? The fundamental problem with this sort of de-Russification plan (and let’s be clear here the reason is de-Russification) is that… wiping out minority cultures is a bad thing, not that the “transition” is hard. And to make matters worse this is an ideological kneejerk meant to make a statement, not something done to improve these kids’ education; I’m not expecting a disaster on the level of Canadian residential schools but this is not good.
No, primarily because it’s Arabic land that was carved up by Europeans after WWII. I’m generally in favor of restoring and preserving native rights and culture.
As I said, an improved education system and less divided society.
Neither the video nor I am talking about a large-scale cultural change. Besides, the Estonians are the natives. Less than a hundred years ago, Russia made them a satellite country and treated native Estonians like second class citizens. Putin has used the existence of Russian culture as an excuse to invade other countries. If this is indeed part of a de-Russification plan, Estonia is only doing it to prevent being invaded and wiped out.
Wiping out cultures is a bad thing, right? Russia already has their own country. Their culture is safe.
How is the rest of Estonian society punished if children are not forced into classes taught in a language they don’t speak? And sure the previous isolation was also bad, but at least they were able to learn something.
Honestly… the amount of people here arguing like the children deserve any of this is very sad. Reminds me of Israelis arguing the Palestinian children deserve what is happening in Gaza. Are you even listening to yourself?
Society is punished by remaining divided.
I understand your frustration. I don’t think anyone believes that the children deserve this; only that it’s the least harmful way to solve a problem that the Russians created. There’s a big difference between the two.
If there were a better, faster, less disruptive option, we would be in favor of that.
There are better, slower ways.
Introducing this gradually (i.e. all children since a certain birth year), having extra language classes for the older children that need it. It’s not a uniquely Estonian problem, all places with migrants deal with children of linguistic minorities.
They’re children, the ones under 6 will adapt to a different language quite quickly and at 18 there were already no Russian language colleges, so even at its slowest it would only take 12 years.
If the children don’t adapt, you’re simply replicating the mistakes of the past into the future. And every generation of kids has to learn and adapt to things their parents and grandparents never considered. My great-great-grandparents never dealt with car traffic. My great-grandparents never dealt with the threat of nuclear weapons. My grandparents never dealt with computers. My parents never dealt with school shootings. Change - both good and bad - happens.
I think that’s a great way to learn the language though. Exposure drives learning a language.
Learning it as a foreign language is much less efficient than learning it in all areas.
They may need more support given no support at home. Still, seems like a big plus to me.
You are waaaaay too optimistic about this, and honestly given how this is ideologically driven as a knee jerk reaction I have my doubts that the teachers and school administrators will try their best to help these children.