教え子を再び戦場に送るな！！

 　最近、那覇市内の小学校で予定されていた航空自衛隊音楽隊のコンサートが、沖縄県教職員組合那覇支部の要請により中止となりました。 これは、軍事的象徴が教育現場に持ち込まれることへの懸念からであり、日教組の平和教育の一環としての行動と考えられます。

　日本教職員組合（略称：日教組）は、1947年（昭和22年）6月8日に設立されました。 文部科学省の調査によると、令和5年（2023年）10月1日時点での日本教職員組合（日教組）への加入率は19.2%で、前年の20.1%から0.9ポイント減少しています。教職員の10人に8人が加入していない現状ですね。個々の組合員の総意はほとんど反映されていない状況ですね。日教組は「教え子を再び戦場に送るな」というスローガンのもと、平和教育を重視しています。そのため、戦争反対の立場から、子どもたちに平和の大切さを教えることを目的としています。

　親兄弟、親族を思い郷里を思い日本を思って戦火に身を投げていいた若者の思いはどうなるのでしょう。愛を動機とした行動や思いを大切にしていかなければならないと感じます。

日教組の活動が批判される点として挙げられる主な内容は以下のようなものです。  

1. 教育の政治的中立性の問題  

　日教組は、政治的にリベラル・左派寄りの立場を取ることが多く、政治運動への関与が強いと批判されてきました。  偏った平和教育：戦争反対を強調するあまり、日本の防衛や歴史教育に偏りがあるとの指摘がされています。 
政治活動への関与：特定の政党（立憲民主党、社民党など）を支持し、教育現場に政治的主張を持ち込むことがあると批判されています。  

2. 学力向上よりも労働運動を優先
　日教組は労働組合としての活動を重視するあまり、教育の質向上が二の次になっていると批判されることがあります。
　ゆとり教育の推進：かつて日教組は「詰め込み教育反対」を主張し、ゆとり教育を推進しました。しかし、その結果、学力低下が問題となり、方針が見直される事態となりました。  過度な労働権利主張：勤務時間や待遇の改善を求めることは当然ですが、「部活動指導の拒否」「長時間勤務問題への過度な対抗」など、子どもにとっての教育環境よりも教員の権利を優先しすぎるとの批判もあります。  

3. 学校行事や指導への過剰な干渉
　 国旗・国歌問題：入学式や卒業式での日の丸掲揚・君が代斉唱に反対する姿勢を取ることが多く、「日本の伝統を尊重しない」との批判があります。  

  自衛隊関連の行事への反対：自衛隊による防災訓練や音楽隊の演奏会を拒否するケースがあり、「政治的理由で子どもの学びの機会を奪っている」との指摘もあります。  
→今回の件ですね！

4. 教員の資質低下を招いた可能性
　指導力不足の教員の擁護：教員の不祥事や指導力不足が問題になっても、日教組は組合員を守る立場を取るため、改善が進まないケースがあると言われています。 
　 能力主義への抵抗：教員の評価制度や、能力に応じた賃金制度の導入に反対することが多く、「優秀な教員が報われないシステムを作っている」と批判されています。  

教職員のほとんどが組合員ではないという現実を踏まえて日教組そのものの本質を見直す時期に来ているように思えてなりません。

  Recently, a concert by the Air Self-Defense Force band scheduled to be held at an elementary school in Naha City was canceled at the request of the Okinawa Prefectural Teachers' Union Naha Branch. This was due to concerns about military symbols being brought into the educational field, and is considered to be part of Nikkyoso's peace education efforts.

 The Japan Teachers' Union (abbreviated as Nikkyoso) was established on June 8, 1947 (Showa 22). According to a survey by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the membership rate of the Japan Teachers' Union (Nikkyoso) as of October 1, 2023 was 19.2%, down 0.9 points from 20.1% the previous year. The current situation is that 8 in 10 teachers and staff are not members. The overall will of individual union members is hardly reflected. Nikkyoso places importance on peace education under the slogan "Don't send our students to the battlefield again." Therefore, it aims to teach children the importance of peace from an anti-war standpoint.

 What will become of the feelings of the young people who threw themselves into the flames of war, thinking of their parents, siblings, relatives, hometowns, and Japan? I feel that we must treasure the actions and feelings motivated by love.

 The main points of criticism of the activities of the JTU are as follows.

1. The problem of political neutrality in education
 The JTU often takes a liberal/left-leaning political stance, and has been criticized for being too involved in political movements. Biased peace education: It has been pointed out that the JTU is biased toward Japan's defense and history education because it emphasizes opposition to war too much.
 Involvement in political activities: It has been criticized for supporting certain political parties (Constitutional Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party, etc.) and bringing political views into the educational field.

2. Prioritizing labor movements over improving academic ability
 The JTU is sometimes criticized for placing too much importance on its activities as a labor union, putting the improvement of the quality of education on the secondary level.
 Promotion of relaxed education: In the past, the JTU advocated "opposition to cram education" and promoted relaxed education. However, as a result, the decline in academic ability became an issue, and the policy was reviewed. Excessive assertion of labor rights: Of course, it is natural to ask for improvements in working hours and working conditions, but there are also criticisms that the rights of teachers are given too much priority over the educational environment for children, such as "refusal to lead club activities" and "excessive opposition to the issue of long working hours."

3. Excessive interference with school events and instruction
 National flag and anthem issue: They often take a stance against raising the Hinomaru flag and singing the national anthem at entrance and graduation ceremonies, and are criticized for "not respecting Japanese traditions."
 Opposition to events related to the Self-Defense Forces: There are cases where they refuse to participate in disaster prevention training and music band concerts by the Self-Defense Forces, and it has been pointed out that "children are being deprived of learning opportunities for political reasons."→ This is the case in question!

4. Possibility of a decline in the quality of teachers
 Defence of teachers with poor leadership skills: Even when scandals or poor leadership skills of teachers become an issue, it is said that there are cases where improvements do not progress because the JTU takes a position to protect its members.
 Resistance to meritocracy: They are often opposed to the introduction of a teacher evaluation system and a merit-based wage system, and have been criticized for "creating a system in which excellent teachers are not rewarded."
 Given the reality that the vast majority of teaching staff are not union members, it seems to me that the time has come to reconsider the very nature of the JTU.