Ukraine 'bans' Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov from schools

[Goaty Bill 2]

It's not all bad, but it seems pretty terrible nonetheless.


Ukraine Education Ministry cuts Tolstoy out of schools

Ukraine Education Ministry removes Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov and other Russia authors from curriculum

На Украине запретили «Войну и мир

"The Ministry of Education of Ukraine decided to ban the novel 'War and Peace' by Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, Vesti.Ukraina reports. The department offered to replace the work that students pass through the program of grades 5-9, the works of contemporary authors, for example, the fairy tale 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' by Roald Dahl.

Prior to April 4, the second session of the discussion of the bill on the shortcomings of the school program will be held. Already, many of the classics were removed from World Literature, but works by Diana Jones, Marina Aromshtam, Harper Lee and Ray Bradbury were added.

Left the program Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Gogol, Bulgakov and other writers."


So once where you studied 'Crime and Punishment', now you will read 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'.
Give me strength.

I suppose one must feel some hope in the inclusion of Harper Lee and Ray Bradbury.

Removing three of the greatest authors of all time, yet Gogol, Bulgakov were both sons of Ukraine.
Perhaps it is less politically motivated than it might first appear. I struggle to believe it though.

[Eric Mc]

Perhaps fear of what Russia might do and is actually doing in Ukraine might have something to do with it.

It's easy for us here to criticise from our relative comfort and security. It might be a bit different if you were in Ukraine.

[Goaty Bill 2]

Eric Mc said:

Perhaps fear of what Russia might do and is actually doing in Ukraine might have something to do with it.

It's easy for us here to criticise from our relative comfort and security. It might be a bit different if you were in Ukraine.

I have no doubt, from discussions with Ukrainian and Russian acquaintances, the it is all quite different from what we 'know' in the west.
Radically differing views exist within each country as well.
For all my 'chats' though, I can claim no special knowledge I'm afraid, but I would hesitate to take at face value any official statement made by either side.

[johnfm]

More likely the students are not engaging in reading such 'classics' and the educators are trying to ensure students are motivated and engaged rather than forced to read 'classic' novels.

[danllama]

I'd say thats a possibility but not more likely.

So they've just been removed from the curriculum, not banned from society?

Real shame, I love Chekhov's plays.

[dmitry]

I can't find this story on any trusted news website. Fort-russ is obviously a Russian propaganda outlet, TV Zvezda is a state-financed propaganda outlet-come-tabloid (for example they've recently reported that CIA attacked Russian soldiers and turned them into stone: http://tvzvezda.ru/news/vstrane_i_mire/content/201... ).

I don't say the story is false but I'd take it with big pinch of salt until there is a proper report. If you want my opinion, I've seen lots of idiocy on both sides so I could believe something like this could be discussed in the Education Ministry. I doubt it would go forward.

[dmitry]

Okay, found a more detailed and credible report.
https://fraza.ua/news/27.03.17/258347/teper-vno-bu...
https://lenta.ru/news/2017/03/27/notolstoy/

Please excuse my poor translation:

MofE has published a second draft of proposed changes in educational program of grades 5 to 9. Second session of public discussion is held until April 4th and final version will be presented in May. The hottest discussions happen around History of Ukraine and Foreign Literature courses. Foreign literature has lost some of the classics and modern works added. For example, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been added to 5th grade program, Diana Jones' Howl's Moving Castle has been added to 7th grade, and Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 to 9th grade. Leo Tolstoy's and Fyodor Dostoevsky's novels had been removed but Chekhov, Gogol, Bulgakov, Goethe and Heine works are left as is.