日本の公立学校における民族学級の意味 -S小学校の事例を手がかりに-

Abstract

This paper will examine the desirable position for the ethnic education in public education of Japan, especially being focused on ethnic class for Koreans. Among this, especially this movement based on ethic class for Koreans in the S elementary school is one of the ways of “facing oneself”. I think the children in the elementary school do not fully understand the meaning of discrimination and prejudice in the society. They will be getting aware of the discrimination and prejudice gradually while they grow up and they will be trying to avoid recognizing the existence of them. For example, when they encounter the subject of assimilation or happen to meet Korean resident in Japan in public places, they even tend to lower their voices about them. I think the reason why they do is closely related with inner side of themselves. There is a natural movement which calls their real ethnic names among children in their ethnic class. After being called their real ethnic names by them, there becomes a momentum at which they maintain their relationship independently. It is very important for korean resident in Japan to reveal and be called with their real ethnic names to change that kind of Japanese society. Besides, existence of ethic class for Koreans in Japan will give Japanese teachers a chance to encounter ethnic education. If the children accepting that experience naturally grew up and became the members of the society, the experience of how they would retrospect this education, when they face the various discrimination & prejudice and how they would respond to them will make them start right.