Student Suspended Over Facebook Post

According to Thanh Nien News, education authorities in a central Vietnamese province have dismissed eighth-grade student Nguyen Thanh Vy for “insulting her school and teachers” and “distorting history” after she parodied President Ho Chi Minh’s appeal for national resistance against the French in 1946 in her Facebook page.


Here are a few excerpts that got Nguyen on a one-year suspension: “All students! As we desire peace, we have made concessions. But the more concessions we make, the more the teachers press on, for they are bent on failing us once again. No, we would rather sacrifice all than be dismissed. Never shall we have to take the exam again. We have to stand up!” “All students, whether boy or girl, good or stupid, tall or short have to find ways to get good marks inthe exam. Those who have health will use their health, those who have heads will use their heads. Those who have neither health or head have to copy or use cheat sheets.” Principal Nguyen Tan Si says Vy’s post—titled “Declaration of students of Ly Tu Trong Secondary School”—caused a badimpact on many students.
Vy’s family has reportedly hired a lawyer to take up her case. [VN]