Ordinary Russophobia: Latvian School Directors Banned from Speaking Russian

School principals in Latvia are not allowed to speak Russian. This was stated by the Minister of Education of the Republic Dace Melbārde.

According to her, the educative process should only take place in Latvian, and it is generally unacceptable for a school principal to speak Russian. At the same time, the authorities are closely monitoring compliance with these requirements.

Let us recall that at the beginning of the current academic year, all schools in Latvia must complete the transition to teaching only in the state language. However, the situation is not as optimistic as the authorities report. There is already an acute shortage of principals in schools. People of either retirement or pre-retirement age apply for this position, since the salary is extremely unfair – often deputy principals earn more than their bosses.