National education plan gets everyone talking online

Lo's column of September 5, headlined "Just who is brainwashing whom?", attacked the leaders of Scholarism, the youth group that organised large-scale rallies against the government's plan to introduce national education lessons in schools.

"Those who advocate national education may be right or wrong," Lo wrote. "Parents and educators have every right to reject it. But we should not let our children decide what goes into their curriculums."

The 144 comments posted on the website ranged from strong support to scorn.

"It does abhor me that some teenagers who are against the new national education subject has not even read the curriculum, but are rather swept by the wave of rage expressed by their peers or by the media," Jenn_xx wrote.

"Alex, you appear - for whatever motive - to underestimate the depth of popular feeling on this issue. People are angry. They know they are being badly governed and do not have the option of replacing their government through the ballot box. So forgive them if they are not in the mood for compromise, negotiation, give-and-take," said HenleyHK.