Thread by @ChrisO_wiki

1/ The independent Russian media outlet Verstka ("Layout") has published a noteworthy piece on the devastating effect that mobilisation is having on Russia's schools. Thousands of teachers have been conscripted or have fled, bringing schools to the edge of collapse. 🧵 follows.

2/ Verstka reports that at one private school in St Petersburg, 80 percent of the teaching staff have left or are going to leave, due to themselves or their partners either being mobilised or fleeing abroad to avoid the draft. The school may now close as a result.

3/ In some schools, teachers have been handed mobilisation notices in front of their entire class. Star teachers have not been spared. One was awarded the title of 'Honored Teacher of the Republic of Bashkortostan' but was mobilised the following day.

4/ The head of a teachers' trade union says that entire subjects have disappeared from the curriculum because nobody is left to teach them. "In many schools, up to 100-120 teaching hours a week have been lost, with no one to replace them." New teachers are also unavailable.

5/ The union has appealed to the government to exempt teachers from mobilisation. “Dozens of schools have lost their male teachers, including principals. Thousands of schoolchildren were left without teachers. There is no one to replace them."

6/ In an effort to save their history teacher from mobilisation, children at one school wrote a letter to the head of the regional government: "We are sure that our teacher will be ashamed of our appeal to you, since he is a real man and is ready to take part in hostilities ... "

7/ "We believe that his military post is a teacher's field ... At the teacher's table, he will win more victories bringing love and patriotism for the motherland to the masses." The appeal caught the eye of RT head Margarita Simonyan and the teacher was allowed to return.

8/ Even before this, Russia was already short of 250,000 teachers. Duma deputies have asked the Defence Ministry to exempt elementary and secondary school teachers. However, it has not responded and is likely opposed to the idea. /end

verstka.media/mobilizaciya-u…