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Heinola rejects Finns Party councillor's demand to change school civics textbook

The councillor had demanded two pages be removed from the teaching material, as he claimed it was politically biased.

A school text book featuring descriptions of political parties.
Harri Salonen (Finns) thought that this section of the civics textbook was inappropriate, and requested Image: Janne Nykänen / Yle
  • Yle News

The municipality of Heinola decided on Monday that it would continue to allow Upper Secondary teachers to choose their own teaching materials.

The city board voted on a proposal from a councillor that demanded two pages be marked as ”unapproved” teaching materials at the Upper Secondary level.

In its decision, the board said it took note of the initiative and also the statement from a council sub-committee which looked into the councillor's proposal.

Finns Party councillor Harri Salonen had requested that a section of the book covering Finland's parliamentary parties be designated as unapproved by Heinola municipality, as he regarded it as politically biased.

He felt his own party was not described in a neutral and impartial manner in the text.

The proposal brought nationwide media coverage, but the city board's written answer stated that teaching materials are an operational matter to be handled by schools "where expertise, professional skill and experience can be found among the school's teaching staff".

The city board therefore did not recommend any measures to be taken in relation to teaching materials.