LettersTeach Hong Kong students to respect national anthem, but gently does it

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Students at a Hong Kong school practise raising the national flag. The national anthem bill aims to make insulting the song a criminal offence in Hong Kong, with a maximum penalty of a HK$50,000 fine and three years in prison. Photo: Oliver Tsang

Published: 11:02am, 17 Jan 2019Updated: 11:02am, 17 Jan 2019

I am writing in response to Hong Kong schools being confused about the implications of the new national anthem law.

The national anthem should be respected by everyone. I really appreciate the idea of Hong Kong schools reporting perceived insults to the song on campuses, as this will act as a deterrent against students showing disrespect to the anthem or their country.

The national anthem, like the national flag and the national emblem, is a symbol of the country. It has a strong political, historical, national and cultural significance. The government has laid down regulations requiring respectful use of the national flag and emblem in Hong Kong. To protect the national anthem, there should also be regulations requiring respect for it, and if any student fails to show such respect, the school must take action.

Many schools are confused about how to deal with students if they violate the national anthem law, and I think teachers should help students learn more about the anthem and that it’s their duty to respect it. Gentle education would be more effective in getting the point across rather than harsh punishment, which might just cause antipathy and worsen the situation.

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