Poll of Dagestani pupils about their political views is in conflict with laws

Forcing high school pupils in Baksan to answer questions about their political views is contrary to several articles of the Russian Constitution and the law on personal data, Marina Agaltsova, an advocate, has stated. Polls on political topics in schools are unacceptable, said Evgeny Yamburg, a Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 17, it became known that in Baksan high school pupils were obliged to take part in a poll on their attitude to terrorism and mass protests, as well as to the idea of a power change in the country. In doing so, pupils had to provide their personal data. Such polls could have been initiated by the police; and "incorrect" answers could lead to consequences for pupils' parents, human rights defenders have suggested.

By themselves, questions about pupils' beliefs or political sympathies are violating nothing, but they can entail consequences for their parents, Marina Agaltsova, an advocate, has pointed out.

She has added that the freedom of opinion is enshrined in the Russian Constitution; therefore, no one should be held responsible for them, if they don't violate the legislation.

Besides, according to Ms Agaltsova, based on the law on personal data, it is unacceptable to force pupils to fill out questionnaires, since the law prohibits taking one's data involuntarily, except in individual cases. Besides, according to the Constitution, no one can be forced to express his/her opinions and beliefs.

Schools have no right to conduct polls on political topics, with the exception of testing for pupils' attitudes to narcotic drugs; even the latter should be conducted only with parents' permission, said Evgeny Yamburg, the principal of one of Moscow schools.

"Especially in today's difficult times, such polls are unacceptable. After all, pupils' parents may hold different views, some more fundamentalist; some more liberal. And such polls can lead to contradictions in the team," the principal believes.