Pleading Held at the Supreme Court: High Court's Decision on the Kimigayo Case Likely to Be Reversed

Pleading session was held in the supreme court on November 28 for the case filed by Ms. Junko Kawarai and Ms. Kimiko Nezu. The teachers lost in the first and second trials of the suit to gain the annulment of reprimands, one-month and three-month suspension respectively, that they were given for refusing to stand up along the Kimigayo during school ceremonies in 2006, a memorial ceremony in January in the case of Ms. Kawarai and the graduation in March in the case of Ms. Nezu. Since pleading in the supreme court is held only when the judges are considering to reverse the lower court's ruling, it is likely that the supreme court will decide on the annulment of the disciplinary suspensions. The ruling is due on January 16, 2012. "I am delighted to have had the pleading in the supreme court after a series of unjust rulings. The issues of nuclear power plants and Kimigayo are rooted in a same problem existing in our society. We must go back to the basics now, " said Ms. Kawarai in the debriefing session after the pleading. Ms. Nezu said "It is now impossible to speak freely in educational institutions. I hope the forth-coming ruling will help change such a situation." (By Yumi Sasaki) Photo: The debriefing session with the lawyers (center)


最高裁、河原井・根津「君が代」裁判で弁論～停職処分みなおしへ

11月28日最高裁は、河原井・根津「君が代」裁判の弁論を開いた。原告の河原井純子さんは、2006年1月の記念式典、根津公子さんは3月の卒業式で「君が代」不起立をしたことに対する処分（河原井さん停職1ヶ月、根津さん停職3ヶ月）の取消を求めていたが、一審、二審とも敗訴していた。弁論は二審の判決を見直す場合に開くのが通例となっており、今回は停職処分の取消の最高裁判決が出る可能性が大きくなった。判決は来年の1月16日に出される予定。弁論後の報告会（写真）で河原井さんは、「あまりにも不当判決が続いたので、弁論が開かれたことは大きな喜び。原発も君が代も根っこは同じ。原点にたちかえるべき」と語り、根津さんは「教育現場ではものが言えない状態だ。おかしいことはおかしいと言えるようにこの判決が役立ってほしい」と語った。（佐々木有美）　＊写真＝弁論後の報告会（中央は弁護団）

They Couldn't Fire Nezu! --Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education Reprimands 12 Teachers

On March 31, the Tokyo education board issued an order against the teachers who refused to stand up for Kimigayo national anthem. Shortly after 3 p.m., Kimiko Nezu came out of a building with a document in hand (see photo). She was full of smiles. The moment she made a circle with her hands, a group of supporters waiting outside screamed in joy. On March 26, when they received the "worst ever"verdict for Nakanishi, everyone expected that Nezu would be stripped of their teaching licenses. But on the day, total of 12 teachers received the order: Nezu and Junko Kawarai received suspencion orders of six months, and Atsuko Watanabe received an order of three months. This was the third time Nezu was ordered to stay away from teaching for six months, but she barely escaped heavier reprimand after getting several suspencion orders. "I was able to escape it because many people supported me," Nezu said at a press conference, while Ms. Kawarai said: "Even then, the reprimand is a serious one. But we will not give up." (By M. See video on UnionTube)


根津さんをクビにできず！～都教委が12人の教員に処分発令
　3月31日、都教職員研修センターで「君が代不起立」の処分発令があった。午後3時すぎ、根津公子さんが発令書を手に建物から出てきた（写真）。満面の笑み、手で丸をつくっている。その瞬間、支援者から歓声が上がった。26日の「最低最悪」の中西判決を受け、誰もが「免職処分」を予測していたからだ。この日処分された教員は12名で、根津さんと河原井純子さんは「停職6月」、渡辺厚子さんが「停職3月」だった。根津さんは3度目の「停職6月」だが、転勤もなく「累積加重処分」をぎりぎりで食い止めた。「大勢の人が一緒にたたかってくれたから」と根津さん、河原井さんは「それにしても重い処分。でもあきらめない」と記者会見で語った。（M） ・動画（UnionTube）