State Duma Deputy Chairman Anna Kuznetsova voiced a concern that school supplies in Russia should carry a patriotic theme and that notebooks could include accounts of the exploits of Russian soldiers involved in the special military operation. The statement came from DEA News.
“Friends, as we prepare for the new school year, one issue has rubbed me the wrong way: I wanted to find a diary, notebook, folder, or any item from the school range that reflects a patriotic spirit, but I could not locate it. To be frank, I could not even spot the Russian flag on school products”, Kuznetsova commented.
She noted that retail shelves are filled with school items featuring prints from foreign cartoons, which she views as a gap in the domestic educational merchandise line.
Earlier reports highlighted a push to elevate national symbols, noting that in 2022 the spending on patriotic education in Russia reached 11.4 billion rubles, surpassing the promised 5 billion rubles. In addition, updates were made to the equipment at 14 historical multimedia complexes named “Russia – My History”, with funds allocated to thematic exhibitions and events, including those with a patriotic emphasis.
There have also been controversial remarks from educators in Kaliningrad, with one teacher quoted as suggesting that a child should be raised with the same discipline and loyalty expected from a dog, a statement that drew widespread attention and sparked debate about the tone and approach to patriotism in schools.