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進入《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 Curriculum Protests: Extraordinary session to be discussed
Students and police sleep early yesterday morning outside the Ministry of Education in Taipei, where students opposed to curriculum changes are staging a sit-in. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
’ORDEAL’: The Anti-Curriculum Changes Alliance said the KMT caucus was being obstructive and called on the KMT chairman to order them to agree to the session
By Huang Hsin-po and Lee Ya-wen / Staff reporters
The Anti-Curriculum Changes Alliance yesterday applauded Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng （王金平） and Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） Chairman Eric Chu （朱立倫） for helping to facilitate a proposal for an extraordinary legislative session to address the controversy caused by changes to the curriculum guidelines, but criticized the KMT for what they said were deliberate attempts to stymie the proposal.
The legislative caucuses are set to hold a meeting today to discuss whether to hold an extraordinary legislative session to resolve the controversies caused by the new curriculum guidelines.
The alliance, made up of college professors, high-school teachers and a number of civic groups, in its statement yesterday condemned the KMT caucus over its reluctance to sign an agreement to table the session.
“The KMT caucus’ reluctance to sign the agreement shows that it is indifferent to the ordeal students and members of the public have gone through to protest in scorching hot weather, and that it has ignored majority public opinion and the sentiments of society. The alliance strongly condemns the KMT’s hostile avoidance to seeking a solution to the issue,” it said.
The alliance urged Chu, in his capacity as the party chairman, to order the KMT caucus to agree to hold an extraordinary session and called on Wang to act as a mediator to resolve the standstill.
The alliance also asked Wang and Chu to visit protestors to express solidarity with them, exchange ideas about the curriculum revisions and listen to their appeals.
KMT caucus whip Lin Te-fu （林德福） yesterday said that based on his understanding, most KMT legislators are against tabling an extraordinary session.
However, KMT Legislator Chang Chia-chun （張嘉郡） of Yunlin County said she agrees that an extraordinary session should be called and the curriculum guidelines withdrawn.
Former KMT vice chairman John Chiang’s （蔣孝嚴） son and KMT legislative candidate Chiang Wan-an （蔣萬安） yesterday said that if the uproar sparked by the curriculum guideline changes could be settled by calling an extraordinary session, at which a legally binding, nonpartisan agreement could be reached, “it might well be the best solution.”
According to KMT caucus whip Lai Shyh-bao （賴士葆）, it would be “unprecedented” if an extraordinary session is called just to pass one resolution, but added that he would respect his colleagues’ decisions.
Separately yesterday, Chu reiterated his stance that “all political parties and politicians should take their hands off the curriculum issue.”
He said he personally endorses tabling an extraordinary session, but added that calling the session would only be appropriate and legitimate if it serves the purpose of drafting an “apolitical” bill that would benefit the public.
He said that the bottom line is that society views the issue in an objective and sensible manner that can be supported by the rule-of-law.
“From the beginning, the KMT has never objected to calling an extraordinary session. However, by law, such a session should only be called when an urgent bill pertaining to the public’s livelihood is stalled in the legislature,” he said.
“As such, I recommend that bills on labor rights, Aboriginal issues, the voluntary military service system and a structural reform regarding the establishment of the Ministry of Agriculture be added to the discussions, as all of them were expected to be passed during the previous legislative session,” Chu said.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Cheng Li-chun （鄭麗君） yesterday said there are two possible ways to resolve the curriculum issue during an extraordinary session: Either the curriculum adjustments are canceled by abolishing of the Senior High School Act （高級中學法）, or a resolution to nullify the curriculum guideline revisions is issued during a cross-party negotiation.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
