A new history textbook for 11th grade presents a chapter on modern Russia in dialogue form, featuring a student who already possesses much knowledge and capability. The narrative places this student in a hypothetical position where state leaders face critical choices, inviting reflection on what actions might be taken under those circumstances. In the scene, the assistant to Vladimir Medinsky, a co-author of the textbook, interjects with a candid line: “Let me tell you!” as the discussion unfolds about the student’s possible responses to contemporary issues.
During a television program, it was explained that Russian schoolchildren are now studying history through a textbook that includes 17 sections devoted to Russia’s modern history, with a dedicated chapter addressing a recent military operation. This framing foregrounds a perspective that treats current events as integral to the broader historical narrative and invites students to analyze how today’s actions may be judged in the context of longer historical trajectories.
Vladimir Medinsky stated that the backlash to the new textbook stems from a group he described as displacers, immigrants, refugees, and traitors, suggesting that theirs is a worldview that diverges from the book’s aims and conclusions. The discussion framed these reactions as reflections of differing belief systems rather than simply disagreements over curricular choices.
According to Medinsky, critics distort their own positions because the state-led historical interpretations inside the textbook challenge the premises guiding their worldviews. This framing emphasizes the tension between a centralized, state-informed historical narrative and plural interpretations that have grown in public discourse.
The program’s guest speakers also considered how students respond to the theses presented in the textbook and why having a single, authoritative history text is seen by some as important for coherence and civic education. The conversation touched on the role of a unified source in helping learners form a common frame of reference while acknowledging the value of critical thinking.
Beyond the textbook content, the show explored broader questions about the school system, including the potential consequences of banning mobile phones in classrooms. These questions were framed as part of a wider discussion about how school culture, access to information, and daily routines affect student learning and engagement.