Do Not Reprimand for ‘Kimigayo’ ~ Kimiko Nezu, others protest at Tokyo Govt Office

As March approaches, Tokyo educators begin to show anxiety and frustration. That’s because teachers will be forced to stand up and sing Kimigayo national anthem. To fight off the negative feeling, 21 members of a group to stop Tokyo government from dismissing teachers for refusing to comply with Kimigayo order protested at Tokyo Government Office on Jan. 24. Kimiko Nezu (photo), who was suspended for six months at three different times in the past but still decided to refuse to stand up for the national anthem, spoke through a microphone. “I would never be able to support a government that tries to mold children to be its tools,” she said. The group ended up distributing 850 leaflets with political satire on Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara, who is known for his rightist views. In seven years of Ishihara administration, 430 teachers were reprimanded. In the end, no teacher could say his/her opinion, and schools in Tokyo are almost being suffocated by his rule. The group plans to fortify its actions until March. (By M) The group HP

「君が代」処分をするな！～根津公子さんら都庁前で宣伝行動
　3月が近づくと都の教職員の不安・イライラが募ってくる。卒業式でまた「君が代」強制が行われるからだ。そんなムードを吹き飛ばすように、1月24日午前8時、「君が代」解雇をさせない会メンバー21人は、都庁前で元気に街頭宣伝を行なった。過去に停職6月処分を3回受け、今年も「不起立」を決意した根津公子さん（写真）がマイクを握り、「子どもたちを国家の具にすることには加担できない」と訴える。石原都知事を風刺した漫画入りチラシの受け取りはよく、850枚を撒ききった。石原都教委のもと7年間で、430名という大量の教職員が処分された。その結果、もの言う教員がいなくなり、学校は管理教育で「窒息寸前」の状態になっている。「解雇させない会」は、3月にむけていっそう運動を強めていく予定だ。（M） 解雇させない会HP