A Ukrainian schoolgirl in Finland was forced to sing Kalinka: public reaction.

According to inkorr.com: In a school in the city of Espoo, where 11-year-old Nicole from Ukraine studies, an unpleasant situation occurred. The girl was forced to perform the Russian song 'Kalinka' despite her refusal. This information was reported by the publication 'Glavkom', citing Yle.

Nicole's mother's reaction

As Nicole's mother, Iryna Horkun-Silen, explained, during a music lesson, the teacher decided to introduce the students to Russian music and suggested performing the song 'Kalinka'. Nicole refused to sing the composition, explaining that she is Ukrainian. The teacher assured that political topics are not discussed at school, and the girl was forced to perform the song, otherwise, she faced a low grade.

Nicole's mother was outraged by this situation. It is considered a normalization of Russia, a country that is waging war against Ukraine. The mother is also surprised why children are introduced to the culture of the Russian Federation during music lessons.

Response from the school administration

The school principal, Ellinor Hellman, noted that their school accepts all students regardless of their background. She also emphasized that the teachers adhere to the curricula. The principal stressed that during music lessons, students have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with different forms of cultural expression that are carefully selected for use in class.

The Finnish Ukrainian community expressed its criticism, emphasizing that the situation raises concerns about the appropriateness of including Russian culture in the educational process. Recall that earlier in the Czech Republic, a teacher, Martina Bednarzova, who refused to acknowledge Russia's crimes in Ukraine, received a suspended sentence of 7 months and a ban on working with children.

The incident in the Finnish school, when a girl from Ukraine is forced to sing a Russian song, has caused outrage among the Ukrainian community. It raises questions about the ethics of including such music in the educational process, especially in the context of the military conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Although the school principal emphasized the importance of diversity in cultural expression, the situation still raises concern among local residents and parents of students.