A kindergarten principal in northern China was suspended following the release of a viral video showing her organizing a controversial pledge for parents. The principal, identified only as Wang, gathered parents at Hanlin Kindergarten in Shanxi province on September 2, asking them to take an oath promising to be cooperative and respectful toward teachers, as reported by Yellow River News.
In the video, dozens of parents placed their right hands on their hearts, pledging commitments such as “never use WeChat to ask teachers to hydrate or change clothes for my child” and “never get angry if my child gets a small bruise from playing at school.” They also vowed not to punish their children at school for misbehaving at home or blame the school if their child falls ill. The parents further promised to “never scowl at teachers” and to trust them as professionals, concluding with the phrase, “Don’t be a bear parent.”
The term “bear parent” is derived from Chinese slang “bear child,” which describes unruly or spoiled children. The video quickly went viral, sparking a national discussion about parent-teacher dynamics and drawing over 13 million views on Weibo.
Public reaction was divided. Some criticized the kindergarten’s actions, calling them arrogant and questioning the principal’s authority to “educate” parents. One commenter on Douyin asked, “Who gave the principal the power to dictate to parents?” Another added, “This pledge is meaningless.”
However, others defended the school, suggesting the pledge was meant to encourage mutual respect. One commenter said, “Let’s consider the teachers’ perspective. They work hard, and we must understand them.”
Wang, the principal, expressed surprise at the backlash. She explained that the pledge was intended to set clear communication guidelines between parents and teachers to avoid unnecessary distractions. For instance, Wang noted that teachers ensure children drink water nine times a day, so reminders from parents are not needed.
In response to the controversy, the local education authority suspended Wang and issued a statement on September 4, criticizing the content of the pledge. “The pledge content is not appropriate. We are conducting an investigation,” said a representative from the education department.
This incident follows a series of high-profile stories related to kindergartens in China. Last year, a kindergarten principal in Chongqing was fired for accepting a small gift from a student. After suing the school, she won compensation in court.
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