Equality and Discrimination in Education

Professor Jan de Groof, Academic Supervisor of the Center for Education Law of the HSE Institute of Education, gave a lecture at the Faculty of Law as a part of the course “Educational Law”.

The lecture was held as a discussion where everyone was able to express his or her thoughts freely. “If there is anything unclear, feel free to interrupt me” – said Professor de Groof during his welcoming speech.

“I love Russia and Russians” – said Professor and probably with the help of these words was able to find an approach to the students in the classroom. Professor de Groof explained one of the most controversial topics of education today – the problem of equality in education – in a simple and understandable way. Abstract concepts of “discrimination” and “right to education” he exposed with the help of real examples from his own practice.

Then Professor de Groof asked a question about the cases of students’ rights’ violation known to the students. And they freely shared their own stories. Thus, the issue of education in the national language proved to be significant not only to Russia as a whole, but in particular, to students, many of whom had to face this problem during their school years.

During the discussion Professor de Groof repeatedly turned to the foreign experience and their activities concerning this problem, comparing them to the Russian ones. Part of the lecture was devoted to the analysis of the Russian Law through the prism of the international law, in which students were actively participating.

Questions of inclusive education in Russia, migration problems and sexual discrimination caused a special resonance among students.

At the end of the lecture Professor de Groof and students discussed the options of the further wok on the identified problems.

“Life is the right to be different” concluded Professor de Groof, pointing out once again the most important message of the lecture.