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As reported by the media, Yle
In one of the schools in Espoo, near Helsinki, during a music class students were asked to sing the Russian song “Kalinka”. The incident sparked outrage among the Ukrainian community after an 11-year-old girl from a Ukrainian family refused to perform the song in Russian. A local media platform provided confirmation of the incident.
The girl’s mother, musician Iryna Gorkun-Silen, said that her daughter Nicole told the teacher: she is Ukrainian and does not want to sing in Russian. In response, the teacher said: “In school, we don’t talk about the war”.
In school, they don’t talk about the war
“The daughter understood that for refusing she would receive a bad grade, so she was forced to complete an assignment that upset her,” the girl’s mother says.
Iryna notes that “Kalinka” is associated with performances by the chorus of the Red Army, which symbolizes the Russian military and imperial heritage. She believes that such exercises in schools may be seen as normalizing the culture of an aggressor country.
“Kalinka” is a song known for its performance by the Red Army chorus, which is a symbol of Russia’s military and imperial past.
The school’s position and legal context
The director of Storängen School in Espoo, Elinor Gellman, emphasized that the educational institution “welcomes all children regardless of origin” and adheres to the national curriculum. According to her, in subjects such as music, students can become acquainted with different cultures, and assignments are chosen with pedagogical justification.
In subjects like music, students can become acquainted with different cultures, and the assignments are pedagogically justified
The Finnish Education Authority reminded that due to the war in Ukraine some cultural topics can evoke strong emotions. If a student is uncomfortable performing a certain song or assignment for personal reasons, a teacher has the right to make an exception – for example, to choose another song or give another role in the performance, said lawyer Heidi Ruonala.
“If a student is uncomfortable performing a certain song or assignment for personal reasons, a teacher has the right to make an exception – for example, to choose another song or give another role in the performance”
The head of the Ukrainian Association in Finland, Vasyl Hutsul, said the incident deeply angered the Ukrainian community.
“The incident deeply angered the Ukrainian community”
According to Iryna Gorkun-Silen, such situations have occurred in the country before. “Although many Ukrainians understand the Russian language, this language has become for us a language of war, pain, and occupation,” she adds.
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