The incident took place at Jianqiao Primary School in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province (China). This school is over 100 years old and is considered one of the typical educational institutions in the locality.
The clip that went viral on social media shows four students of this school standing at attention in front of the gate. Every time a teacher’s car drove by, they immediately raised their hands in the Young Pioneers’ ceremonial salute and said “good morning” in unison. In less than a minute, they greeted 10 cars. Some teachers waved back, but most of the cars that passed by did not even roll down their windows.
Students standing to greet their teacher's car in cold weather caused a stir in public opinion (Photo: Douyin).
The video shows another student standing in the hallway, performing the task of checking the behavior of his classmates.
The clip attracted more than 100,000 interactions on Chinese social networks, divided into two opinions. Some public opinion believes that this is a method of teaching etiquette, contributing to building a spirit of respect for teachers for young children. The rest criticized it, considering it a ridiculous form of education, warning that this activity can make children confuse respect with blind obedience, instead of equality in the educational environment.
One account commented: “Why don’t teachers respond to students’ greetings? There are many students on foot at the school, and cars moving in and out of the gate is also dangerous.”
A school official said the greeting was voluntary. But online criticism following the incident has indirectly affected the students’ morale.
The school now assigns students to patrol duties, including checking campus safety, monitoring ceremonial activities and assisting with lunch management.
Some parents have expressed dissatisfaction with the situation, with one filing a complaint with the local Education Bureau, saying their children have to wake up 30 minutes earlier each day to be at school by 7:40.
“Standing in the cold to signal for the teachers’ car to pass by is very tiring. It’s better to let the children sleep for ten more minutes,” said one parent.
Another parent posted a screenshot of the classroom group chat, showing that the school actually required students to show up early to greet teachers at the gate.
Recently, the local Education Bureau issued a notice severely criticizing the principal and asking the school to make corrections. The school also pledged to install speed bumps and barriers at the gate, and to adjust the content of etiquette education.
Such unusual activities are not uncommon in China. In October, a middle school in Henan province held a strange “mistake-making exercise” that required parents to kneel and form a “human bridge” for students to cross.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/nha-truong-bi-chi-trich-vi-bat-hoc-sinh-dung-chao-giao-vien-giua-troi-lanh-20251123152115629.htm
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