China: Student "family classification" survey causes stir

(Dan Tri) - A questionnaire surveying family social status for students at a high school in China has caused a storm on social networks in the country recently.

The incident happened at Longming High School (Shanghai, China) when students were asked to answer a questionnaire ranking the financial status and social status of their parents.

The questionnaire was accompanied by a picture of a ladder with levels 1 to 10. Level 1 was described as the parent's "lowest-paying, low-level job," while level 10 represented "higher education and better employment." Students were asked to choose one of those levels to describe their parent's occupation.

Survey ranking social status of students' families causes controversy in China (Source: The Paper)

The online community was outraged when this survey was posted online. One netizen asked: "Why does the school investigate the students' family background? Is it to discriminate against them?"

After the controversy, the Minhang District Education Bureau (Shanghai) - the school's management unit - spoke up, saying that this survey form was arbitrarily distributed to students by an intern teacher at the school without consulting the school's board of directors.

The Department of Education also requested the school's leadership to review the violations, terminate the teacher's internship, and explain and apologize to the students and parents.

One teacher, who did not want to be named, added that some interns at schools, especially those studying social sciences , often hand out questionnaires for personal research purposes. However, many schools have banned this practice to avoid controversy.

Many parents also shared online that such surveys of students' family backgrounds are not uncommon in Chinese primary and secondary schools, although the surveys are usually conducted in a more discreet manner.

Surveys of students' families are not uncommon in China (Source: Shutterstock).

"My child in elementary school was asked by the school to write about his parents' jobs and where we live," said one parent.

Another said such requests violated students' privacy: "We never tell the truth about our profession when the school asks."

"School must be a place where students can learn and experience equally, thereby contributing to building a better world when they grow up," a parent affirmed.

However, some argue that such surveys are sometimes conducted with good intentions.

"The school once asked us to provide information about our family circumstances. This is to help teachers understand the difficulties of some students, so that they can guide families to get additional subsidies and teachers can adjust their teaching methods appropriately for students with special circumstances," said a netizen.

Previously, in 2021, some classes at a primary school in Shanxi Province, China, caused controversy when they conducted a survey on students' parents and "classified" their occupations.

Occupational groups listed include leaders, business owners, government workers, migrant workers and people with criminal records.

The school later announced disciplinary action against the teachers involved in the incident.

Bui Thuy

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/trung-quoc-bang-khao-sat-phan-loai-gia-dinh-hoc-sinh-gay-xon-xao-20250316100249174.htm