What is the Orbán government's "revenge law," stoking demonstrations of teachers & students in Budapest?
The law is a tool to brutally opress & intimidate teachers critical of the government— it opens the door to the monitoring of their private devices & social media activity 🧵
🐦🔗: https://n.respublicae.eu/katka_cseh/status/1654094132946542594
The situation is spiralling out of control. In a completely disproportionate way, high schoolers & other protesters are getting roughed up and teargassed by the police. Yesterday, a @momentumhu MP @MartonTompos was dragged out of the crowd, handcuffed & detained
RT @MartonTompos: 2023, Hungary. I spent 5 hours enjoying the hospitality of the Hungarian police to be released without even a notice. #professionalism https://t.co/AGYOvcXNRB
🐦🔗: https://n.respublicae.eu/katka_cseh/status/1654094138508181504
There is a severe shortage of education professionals - which is understandable, given the measly salaries teachers in Hungary receive. The government's plan to address this shortage by over-employing teachers for free.
RT @katka_cseh: 4/
An early-career primary school teacher in Hungary is looking at HUF 170.000, which is around EUR 400/month. No, I did not miss a zero.
A mid-career secondary school teacher is looking at HUF 240.000, or EUR 570.
The maximum …
🐦🔗: https://n.respublicae.eu/katka_cseh/status/1654094144929767426
The draft law increases working hours, teachers could be required to work on Sundays for free, or ordered to teach far from their home, like members of the armed forces. If they quit, they can be forced to remain at the school for +6 months
Union leaders have called this slavery
🐦🔗: https://n.respublicae.eu/katka_cseh/status/1654094154031308804
One of the most worrying aspects of the new draft law is that teachers cannot talk about problems or criticize the system without facing disciplinary action— not even on their private social media.
The law mandates that they must "maintain faith in public education"
🐦🔗: https://n.respublicae.eu/katka_cseh/status/1654094163938254850
The proposed law allows for the videotaping of classrooms, even kindergarten groups, forging a generation that is accustomed to being watched. Teachers fear that an informant network is established within institutions, creating a damaging psychological environment for children.
🐦🔗: https://n.respublicae.eu/katka_cseh/status/1654094173849501700
The draft allows employers to monitor teachers' laptops at any time. Teachers fear that monitoring would give the state access to sensitive data about children and parents.
🐦🔗: https://n.respublicae.eu/katka_cseh/status/1654094186876923905
Thousands of teachers have already indicated their intention to resign.
Unions and stakeholders fear that the government is creating an informant network with the status law. "It is not an exaggeration to say that police state tools are being used here," they claim.
🐦🔗: https://n.respublicae.eu/katka_cseh/status/1654094215373004804
This goes way beyond education— this is the most Orwellian crackdown & crushing of dissent in Hungary
The question is: will the European Union stand idly by— or finally stand up for democracy?
We are yet to hear any official condemnations of the law by @EU_Commission [end]
🐦🔗: https://n.respublicae.eu/katka_cseh/status/1654096389549314052
According to teachers, an oppressive police state is built up to control them, so that they don't protest & criticize the government. Last year, I invited them to tell this to @EU_Commission too👇
Strikes have already been outlawed in the country, teachers get fired for striking
RT @katka_cseh: A nationwide movement is sweeping across Hungary, protesting the crisis of public education.
We invited teachers & students to Brussels— giving them a platform to address …
🐦🔗: https://n.respublicae.eu/katka_cseh/status/1654094141461069831