In a Russian cadet school, teachers were officially allowed to beat children

“Traditional Cossack education” in the Stavropol region led to a check throughout the region

State of emergency in the cadet school. General Eromolov entailed checking all the cadet corps of the Stavropol Territory. A 12-year-old student returned home with a red scar across his back. And he said that the teacher had hit him with a whip. The boy’s father raised a fuss, the scandal reached the level of the regional governor. It turned out that already upon admission to the school. Yermolov’s parents signed an agreement containing a clause on lashing …

The response to the school was prompt. Yevgeny Shmakov, a retired officer of the Federal Penitentiary Service, who hit the child, was fired. The school’s deputy director for military educational work was reprimanded. The illegal item on corporal punishment in the internal documentation of the school was of particular interest to the regional prosecutor’s office. Moreover, the parents unanimously confirmed that they signed such a document.

The incident at Yermolov’s school led to inspections of cadet schools throughout the Stavropol Territory. The press service of the governor of the region Vladimir Vladimirov reports that the regional Ministry of Education and the Commissioner for Children’s Rights are dealing with the case. “Children must be protected,” the head of the region is quoted as saying.

In 2019, this cadet school was already at the epicenter of the proceedings related to this tragedy. During a demonstration performance, a 10th grade student died there. The boy fell from a height of the 3rd floor, demonstrating the skills of descending from a height with equipment. Then the principal changed at the school. The new director, Nikolai Panin, promised to fill the “cadet component” with new content: “We see a modern cadet not only polite, but also smart, first of all.”

However, an investigation into the case of corporal punishment at school showed that there are parents who do not see anything shameful in such an “educational measure”. Some of the parents came to the defense of the dismissed Shmakov. One mother in class chat reported that when her son returned with the same streak from a blow, she “still poured him” for “playing around at school and getting it for it.” Supporters of rods vied with each other to argue for beating children. “Endurance and discipline must be,” says another mother of the student. “I specifically read the literature on discipline and punishment in the schools of the guards junkers, cadet corps.” And if you do not beat anyone, in her opinion, “there will be officers in skirts, as in Europe.” “I personally received a whip in my childhood when I took the Cossack oath,” adds the student’s dad. And he praises the retired Shmakov: “Decent, calm, adequate, very well-read … And among the children there were those who regretted the dismissal of the teacher from the school. Some even cried…

But children also have a different opinion. High school student Ilya (name changed) shared his observations about the former educator officer and the “cadet order” at school in general. The teenager believes that the officers-educators “do not see where the army is and where the children are.” And Shmakov practiced hazing in his lessons, he could be rude, push a student, even a girl. But complaining was “zapadlo” – the teacher really did not like it when such things surfaced. Could intimidate those who complained to their parents. “Our school is fashionable in the city, but this is outwardly. Only the NVP, “all sorts of traditions,” is well placed. And there’s nothing behind it,” the boy adds. “Everyone, as soon as they get out of there, start to rage, yell and vape.” Ilya does not like studying there, but “his parents are Cossacks to the fullest.”

Interestingly, just the day before, Vice Speaker of the State Duma Pyotr Tolstoy made another statement about the return of a conservative approach to education. The deputy again attacked “Western innovations”. “We need to do everything to bring education in Russia back into the mainstream of traditional Russian education,” Tolstoy said. A descendant of Count Tolstoy noted that “tradition is very important.” And all attempts to jump out of it are “abstruse, delusional constructions.” Like, the Western education system does not work for us. “Birch porridge” in the minds and beaten children in the classroom are dearer and more familiar, I guess.

Published in the newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets” No. 28953 dated January 19, 2023

Newspaper headline:
Beats means teaches