Dear Mr. Minister,

The work on new regulations concerning the refusal to promote a pupil with a reprehensible behavior mark, announced by your Deputy – Jarosław Zieliński, constitutes major and unprecedented changes in the system, not just a temporary idea applied to discipline “impolite” pupils.

Therefore, we ask you Mr. Minister to organize a serious public discussion at the Ministry of Education and Science on the project of proposed changes, in which the representatives of all interested environments – representatives of various disciplines of science, teachers, parents of the pupils and civil organizations working on behalf of children and youth – could participate.

With authorization from:

Halina Bortnowska, theologian, member of the Helsinki Committee in Poland,

Father Adam Boniecki, editor-in-chief of “Tygodnik Powszechny” (“The Universal Weekly”),

Irena Dzieżgowska, former Superintendent of Education, former Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of National Education, long-term teacher,

Józefa Hennelowa, commentator for “Tygodnik Powszechny”,

Maria Holzer, President of the Polish Children & Youth Foundation (Polska Fundacja Dzieci i Młodzieży),

Hubert Iwanicki, lecturer at the Academy of Special Education (Akademia Pedagogiki Specjalnej – APS),

Maria Kolankiewicz, lecturer at Warsaw University, Director of the institution Dom Małego Dziecka (Home for Infant Children),

Krzysztof Kozłowski, commentator for “Tygodnik Powszechny”,

Anna Leśnodorska, lawyer, candidate for the post of children’s rights spokesperson,

Anna Mateja, commentator for “Tygodnik Powszechny”,

Jarosław Michalski, educator, Dean of the Academy of Special Education (APS),

Anna Nowicka, educator at the Academy of Special Education (APS),

Wiktor Osiatyński, constitutionalist,

Włodzimierz Paszyński, former Superintendent of Education, former Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of National Education, long-term teacher,

Elżbieta Putkiewicz, lecturer at Warsaw University,

Julian Radziewicz, educator, former community students’ rights spokesperson,

Andrzej Rzepliński, lecturer at Warsaw University,

Sławomir Sobiech, educator at the Academy of Special Education (APS),

Marek Stokowski, writer, teacher, museum specialist,

Krystyna Starczewska, long-term director of Community High School No. 1,

Barbara Weigl, psychologist, lecturer at the Warsaw School of Social Psychology (Szkoła Wyższa Psychologii Społecznej – SWPS),

Grzegorz Wiaderka, lawyer, employee of the Stefan Batory Foundation,

Stefan Wilkanowicz, President of the Christian Culture Foundation (Fundacja Kultury Chrześcijańskiej), and

The Council and Board of the Nobody’s Children Foundation (Fundacja Dzieci Niczyje), The Board of the Comenius Foundation for Child Development (Fundacja Rozwoju Dzieci im. J.A Komeńskiego)

Elżbieta Czyż

Coordinator of the children’s rights program,
Member of the Board of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights