Taipei, April 1 (CNA) The prestigious Taipei First Girls High School (TFG) has banned its teachers from participating in interviews with Chinese state media after one instructor sparked an outcry by criticizing President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on China Central Television (CCTV).
In an announcement to staff and students Monday, Principal Chen Chih-yuan (陳智源) said TFG maintains a “free and democratic” campus environment, tolerating and respecting a diverse range of viewpoints as long as they don’t violate school rules.
“However, in light of the current cross-strait tensions, and to avoid creating unnecessary troubles, [TFG] will prohibit teachers from accepting interviews with state media of the People’s Republic of China (such as CCTV) with immediate effect,” the statement said.
As of Tuesday evening, Chen had also set his Facebook account to private, and a TFG official told CNA the school did not wish to comment on the issue.
The controversy arose last week after the Taipei Department of Education received complaints about comments that TFG teacher Ou Kui-chih (區桂芝) made during an appearance on Chinese national broadcaster CCTV.
During an interview, Ou criticized Lai’s move to designate China as a “hostile foreign force,” saying she didn’t know how she could face her Chinese relatives.
Ou, who teaches Chinese literature, previously made headlines in 2023 when she slammed new government curriculum guidelines that cut the number of classical Chinese texts as politically motivated “desinicization” and “a crime deserving more than 10,000 deaths.”
Following Ou’s comments, the Taipei Department of Education said it would allow the school to handle the matter internally, adding that it respects teachers’ professional autonomy and freedom of speech as long as they uphold the principle of educational neutrality.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) said last week that while he respects teachers’ freedom of expression, they should also maintain a clear sense of national consciousness and identity.
