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Parades of Discrimination
Student parades originated from the “Hitler youth” which was a Branch of the Nazi Party (for Students and young people). It promoted the Nazi ideology by implementing military discipline onto the new generations. This was imposed on all children by force in Germany in 1936-45.Greek Dictator Ioannis Metaxas who came to power in 1936 was inspired by the Nazi ideology; he led the youth under the same military strategy. Even after the fall of Metaxas in 1941 this process of organizing student parades still exists until today.
Declaring independence in 1960, the Educational System of Cyprus became largely based on the existing Greek system. The Abolition of student parades was suggested just once after the fall of the Junta dictatorship (1974) but soon after was forgotten.
The only two countries that still promote the idea of student parades within the European Community are Greece and Cyprus, with the rest of the European countries strongly opposing the toleration of this practice for the following reasons:
The process of choosing participants in the school parade is strongly based on the physical appearance of the students (e.g. tallest at the front), creating discrimination that violates basic civil rights.
The division of the students within the parade based on their educational performance, (“good” students at the front, “bad” students at the back) as well as their physical appearance creates tension on a personal level within the student body.
The Nationalistic Nature of Student Parades isolates national and religious minorities, therefore generates a feeling of discrimination based on racial and cultural characteristics, which not only violates civil rights, but promotes inequality which cannot and should not be tolerated in a multicultural environment (i.e. school)
The identical appearance, behavior, and movement of the students during a parade, destroy any sense of individualism and promote a sense of military discipline, compressing freedom of expression on political and social levels.
Not all students are obliged to take part in student parades; however, teachers are given the job of instructing a parade that is not part of the syllabus. They are being forced to carry out a task that may contradict their personal beliefs and ideals. This has been condemned by the European Court of Human Rights and it is therefore a violation of teachers‟ rights that these parades precede.
The existence of Student Parades must cease to be accepted. They are a strategy that deprive freedom of expression, promote nationalistic ideologies which further deteriorate the cultural tolerance and human equality which characterizes a modern multicultural country. We shall not accept any kind of discrimination. We must promote equality and respect each person's individuality.
Say Yes to Diversity, Say Yes to Unity-Say No to Student Parades
Paidia tou manoli