60 Hate Speech Ignited: Understanding Hate Speech in Myanmar spite these clear deficienies, the Ministry of Education has continued to use the texts even though they no longer reflect the reality of modern Myanmar.337 Furthermore, the textbooks highlight Buddhist Bamar heroes and histories, despite Myanmar being a multi-ethnic and multi-faith country. Activists said that children in primary school have had to repeat the slogan “Myanmar is our country, Burmese is our language.”338 These narratives perpetuate the idea that Myanmar is a country for Buddhist-Burman; erasing the histories of other ethnic and re- ligious groups.339 Other problematic slogans young students have been asked to memorize at school in the past include: “Thway hnaw darn nga doe mone lu myo anyunt tone,” which translates to “We hate mixed blood, it will make a race extinct.”340 Fortunately, this module from Grade 5 was removed in 2019 as a result of concerted campaign efforts by CSOs, but that change alone cannot erase the legacy of the discriminatory educational practices overnight.341 Ethnic and religious minorities interviewees also shared painful experiences of feeling alienat- ed at school and bullied by teachers and other Buddhist Bamar students in schools.342 Examples include, being forced to participate and donate to temples and monks during Buddhist festivals like Wah Zoe and Kah Htein.343 Meanwhile, other religious festivals are not celebrated, and school holidays are given only to mark Buddhist occasions.344 Schools and offices normally have Buddhist symbols and shrines.345 It also have become apparently common practice for teachers to demand that students clasp their hands and “gah dawh” (Buddhist prayer hands) them, as a sign of respect.346 Many mentioned that teachers assigned to ethnic regions have been often ignorant of the local cultures and insensitive to their needs.347 Teachers, for example, have been known to call students derogatory names like “Shan Ma” (Shan woman) instead of by their proper names.348 Classmates have laughed when students mispronounced Burmese words, as instruction is provided in Burmese instead of ethnic dialects.349 Muslim interviewees added that they have not been permitted to leave early on Friday for prayers and if they did, they would have been penalized for it.350 Others mentioned that even if they have had the necessary grades, ethnic and religious minorities have been denied admission to professional colleges for medicine or engineering, which are the two most prestigious professions in Myan- mar.351 After enduring these sorts of discriminatory practices, minority students have not always 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 002-R3-01, 7.; Myat Mon. 001-R1-02, 4. Ibid. 002-R4-04, 2–3; See also Myat Mon. Ibid.; FGD (December 2019). FGD (January 2019 and December 2019); See, e.g., YGN-R1-01, 9. Ibid.; Myat Mon. Ibid. Ibid. YGN-R4-04, 2; YGN-R3-01. Ibid.; FGD (January 2019 and December 2019); See also YGN-R3-02, 1-4. YGN-R4-04, 3. Ibid. FGD (December 2019). Ibid.