Polish science teacher apologises over 'tasteless' Syrian refugee assignment
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
13.11.2015 11:48
A physics teacher at a secondary school in Białystok, north eastern Poland, has issued an apology after complaints were made about an assignment that made light of Syrian refugees drowning in the Mediterranean.
Die Gewerkschaften drängen auf eine Lohnerhöhung von ca. 250 Euro, was für den Haushalt im Jahr 2019 über 4 Mrd. Euro bedeuten würde.
Teacher Grzegorz Nowik, who leads a physics class with 14-year-olds, had set his pupils the following test:
“4 refugees from Syria are trying to sail to Greece on a raft which is 1m x 2m x 20cm and 800kg/m2. Calculate how many refugees need to be pushed off the raft in order for them to reach their destination, if each of them weighs 60kg.”
One of the teenagers' parents found out about the test and immediately informed school authorities.
Deputy Director Elżbieta Stasiewicz claims that the teacher “apologized and expressed remorse,” and that as a result, no disciplinary measures have been taken, although he has been given a warning.
Nowik apparently justified his actions by arguing that more conventional tests can be “boring” for teenagers and that he had simply wanted to liven up their studies.
However, Anna Mierzyńska from the local anti-racism organisation Normalny Białystok (Normal Białystok) has claimed that the incident represents the tip of the iceberg.
“This situation is a symptom of a much broader situation which we have across the entire country,” she said.
“If a lot of famous people, politicians, authorities, are able to speak about refugees in a hateful manner, then it's no surprise that a teacher speaks in a such a way.” (nh/rk)
Source: TVN