After a three-month inspection by the Chinese Ministry of Education, 27 employees of the People’s Education Publishing House, which produces educational literature, were fired or severely reprimanded.
⠀
Such measures were taken due to the release of a series of math textbooks for elementary schools, the illustrations in which caused outrage among parents. They were called “ugly”, “vulgar”, and “pro-American”.
⠀
The attention of parents was attracted, among other things, by images in which the outlines of the genitals are visible under the clothes of the boys. In addition, the public was outraged by the illustrations, in which, during the game, one boy put his hands on the girl’s chest, and the other pulls her skirt.
⠀
In another picture, a girl jumping over a rope has underwear peeking out from under her skirt. Moreover, the parents were outraged by the faces of the painted characters, in particular their round eyes and high foreheads.
⠀
Attention was also attracted by incorrectly drawn stars on the state flag of the PRC, in some places the image of the US flag even appears.
⠀
The discussion on the topic of illustrations has arisen only now, although schoolchildren have been using these textbooks since 2013.
⠀
In May, it was reported that the Chinese authorities would massively check school textbooks because of “pornographic” illustrations.
