Society
‘You Have to Teach Them to Be Hypocrites for Their Own Safety’
May 28, 2025
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Yuri Lapshin
Psychologist at Le Sallay Academy international school
Psychologist Yuri Lapshin asked teachers, students and their parents about Conversations about Important Things lessons through the Telegram channel on antiwar anthropologist Alexandra Arkhipova. Note that most of her more than 80,000 subscribers have a negative view of the war in Ukraine and militaristic propaganda in schools.
The original text in Russian was published in Republic. We are republishing a shortened version with their permission.
Since September 2022, every Monday in all schools and vocational colleges, class teachers are required to conduct Conversations about Important Things. To prepare, detailed lesson plans and methodological materials, including discussion questions, group games and video clips, are published on a special website and a Telegram channel (with more than 176,000 subscribers).
‘Do their own thing’
The most popular answers from parents, teachers and older students are as follows: Conversations have no impact, as kids do not listen to anything, do not remember anything, and sit on their phones and chat. For their part, teachers do not try either and do their own thing.
“A third-grader does not remember [what was said to him] after five minutes. The topics are mostly safe internet, traffic rules, etc. Before May 9, they had something thematic. For children, everything the teacher says is like another planet.”
“The teacher is young and decent. Sure, she plays the videos that are sent to them. But she herself sits on her phone, checks notebooks or works on her laptop. The children also sit on their phones, play video games. She allows it; no comments. My daughter does not remember what was said there at all and only remembers what interests her a lot, about nature and animals. But she reads the teacher’s attitude and acts accordingly.”
The situation of “everyone is happy, everyone does their own thing” is the result of a silent agreement between teacher and students: you come and sit quietly and I will not interfere.
This “social contract” is ensured by the consent of the administration and the passivity of external inspection personnel, as well as by the negative attitude of most parents toward propaganda activities.
“The parents, by the way, are great. At parent-teacher conferences we discuss how to make sure the kids do not go to Conversations about Important Things. They write complaints, they are not afraid to show their position to the administration. And since the director is a municipal deputy, she is terribly afraid of scandals and hushes everything up; it seems she turns a blind eye to many things, because she understands that everyone, both children and parents, will not be shut up, she allows them to let off a little steam.”
Since September 2022, every Monday in all schools and vocational colleges, class teachers are required to conduct Conversations about Important Things. To prepare, detailed lesson plans and methodological materials, including discussion questions, group games and video clips, are published on a special website and a Telegram channel (with more than 176,000 subscribers).
‘Do their own thing’
The most popular answers from parents, teachers and older students are as follows: Conversations have no impact, as kids do not listen to anything, do not remember anything, and sit on their phones and chat. For their part, teachers do not try either and do their own thing.
“A third-grader does not remember [what was said to him] after five minutes. The topics are mostly safe internet, traffic rules, etc. Before May 9, they had something thematic. For children, everything the teacher says is like another planet.”
“The teacher is young and decent. Sure, she plays the videos that are sent to them. But she herself sits on her phone, checks notebooks or works on her laptop. The children also sit on their phones, play video games. She allows it; no comments. My daughter does not remember what was said there at all and only remembers what interests her a lot, about nature and animals. But she reads the teacher’s attitude and acts accordingly.”
The situation of “everyone is happy, everyone does their own thing” is the result of a silent agreement between teacher and students: you come and sit quietly and I will not interfere.
This “social contract” is ensured by the consent of the administration and the passivity of external inspection personnel, as well as by the negative attitude of most parents toward propaganda activities.
“The parents, by the way, are great. At parent-teacher conferences we discuss how to make sure the kids do not go to Conversations about Important Things. They write complaints, they are not afraid to show their position to the administration. And since the director is a municipal deputy, she is terribly afraid of scandals and hushes everything up; it seems she turns a blind eye to many things, because she understands that everyone, both children and parents, will not be shut up, she allows them to let off a little steam.”
Presentation of The Military Alphabet for children aged 7–8. Altai Children’s Library, Barnaul, May 2025. Source: TG Channel "Ne Norma"
An hour in the life of a child and a teacher
Where the school administration allows it, teachers use the hour of Conversations about Important Things to conduct an additional lesson on their subject or to prepare for the Unified State Exam, Basic State Exam and other nationwide tests. This compromise generally works in schools focused on high results, where parents do not want their children sitting on their phones for an hour while the teacher grades notebooks.
“Our administration protects schoolchildren and teachers (us) as much as possible from all the odious ideas of the ministry. As much as it can, until it comes under pressure. I organized prep work for the Unified State Exam during Conversations.
“I am a teacher and a class head. We prepare for the Unified State Exam during Conversations. The children keep quiet, but it is clear, judging by various things, that the principal knows. There are no repercussions from the administration, even though the school is [prowar].”
Where the school administration allows it, teachers use the hour of Conversations about Important Things to conduct an additional lesson on their subject or to prepare for the Unified State Exam, Basic State Exam and other nationwide tests. This compromise generally works in schools focused on high results, where parents do not want their children sitting on their phones for an hour while the teacher grades notebooks.
“Our administration protects schoolchildren and teachers (us) as much as possible from all the odious ideas of the ministry. As much as it can, until it comes under pressure. I organized prep work for the Unified State Exam during Conversations.
“I am a teacher and a class head. We prepare for the Unified State Exam during Conversations. The children keep quiet, but it is clear, judging by various things, that the principal knows. There are no repercussions from the administration, even though the school is [prowar].”
“Many teachers, especially if they are not under too much pressure from the school administration, allow themselves to experiment with the Conversations program.”
Meeting of schoolchildren with a participant in the “special military operation”. Pushkino, Moscow Region. April 2025. Source: VK
With a creative approach, they kill two birds with one stone, finding a way to combine the topic dictated by the methodology with their subject.
“Today we have a Conversation about Important Things, and since the most important thing is algebra, open your notebooks, we have an algebra lesson,” this is how, for example, a math teacher might begin Conversations.
“The teacher has the right not to use the material from the guide and to prepare topics independently. Sure, this takes work, but it is also more useful… For example, students are interested in hearing about maternity payments and other social payments for children. They want to hear about taxes – there is a topic about the foundations of the state… This is how Conversations become actually worthwhile.”
Getting out of Conversations about Important Things
Many parents sign a waiver for their child to be taken out of Conversations about Important Things, which is technically an extracurricular.
“In middle school, everything is simpler. You write a note, and your child [skips the first lesson]. Our school is focused on education; they drive the kids so hard that they have no time or energy left for anything else.”
There must be solidarity within the family for this to work, however.
“In the seventh grade, my son perceived Conversations about Important Things as great news. The first lesson on Monday – an hour more of sleep! I said, ‘do not go, let them call me in, we will think of something.’ So he never went, and no one noticed. In the eighth grade, he transferred to another school, where it’s a general assembly with all classes. He asked the class teacher if he could skip it and he said, ‘of course, no one will notice.’ So two or three people from the class go to Conversations to fill space and discuss general issues. My son has not gone even once this year.”
“Neither child ever went, I did not even write a note. I just warned the teachers that my children would not go, it would be better for them to get an extra hour of sleep. They tried to make me sign an official waiver, but I ignored them and they left me alone after a month or two.”
All these examples assume at least an indifferent attitude of the school administration to the fact that parents, children and even teachers do not take part in militaristic propaganda. However, it can be different.
“Today we have a Conversation about Important Things, and since the most important thing is algebra, open your notebooks, we have an algebra lesson,” this is how, for example, a math teacher might begin Conversations.
“The teacher has the right not to use the material from the guide and to prepare topics independently. Sure, this takes work, but it is also more useful… For example, students are interested in hearing about maternity payments and other social payments for children. They want to hear about taxes – there is a topic about the foundations of the state… This is how Conversations become actually worthwhile.”
Getting out of Conversations about Important Things
Many parents sign a waiver for their child to be taken out of Conversations about Important Things, which is technically an extracurricular.
“In middle school, everything is simpler. You write a note, and your child [skips the first lesson]. Our school is focused on education; they drive the kids so hard that they have no time or energy left for anything else.”
There must be solidarity within the family for this to work, however.
“In the seventh grade, my son perceived Conversations about Important Things as great news. The first lesson on Monday – an hour more of sleep! I said, ‘do not go, let them call me in, we will think of something.’ So he never went, and no one noticed. In the eighth grade, he transferred to another school, where it’s a general assembly with all classes. He asked the class teacher if he could skip it and he said, ‘of course, no one will notice.’ So two or three people from the class go to Conversations to fill space and discuss general issues. My son has not gone even once this year.”
“Neither child ever went, I did not even write a note. I just warned the teachers that my children would not go, it would be better for them to get an extra hour of sleep. They tried to make me sign an official waiver, but I ignored them and they left me alone after a month or two.”
All these examples assume at least an indifferent attitude of the school administration to the fact that parents, children and even teachers do not take part in militaristic propaganda. However, it can be different.
“Judging by the reaction of Telegram subscribers, administrations’ control over attendance and lesson content is growing.”
In addition, Conversations lessons are often squeezed into the middle of the day, which makes them harder to skip.
“In the private school (in Moscow) where I work, we have not held [Conversations about Important Things] for a long time, but starting this year inspections have started coming. Sometimes they assemble children to have mass participation and for compliance; teachers are paid extra for the extra work. They discuss neutral things – for example, one topic was Russian railways. In general, no ‘special military operation.’”
Let’s examine this: the administration and teachers of a Moscow private school are not required to do “everything at once” – to begin with, just assemble the children “to have mass participation” and teach something “neutral” because of the inspections. Meanwhile, class teachers are required to know the program and “include something” in their lessons. In this way, “independent” private schools are gradually roped into routine propaganda work.
More is asked of teachers in public schools.
“The teacher does not push, she begs the children to go [to Conversations]; they are punished for an empty classroom.”
“Two years later I found myself in another school as a class teacher. The task given by the school director was specific: take the script from the Conversations website and work through it from start to finish. Conversations about Important Things are included in the schedule. Each class has its own day. Vigilant parents help the director to monitor whether the methodology from the website has been taught to the students.”
“Everything is insane here. More and more patriotic improvisation from teachers, each in their own way, then the children repeat it. They instill in children that they must fight, defend the motherland… our school alumni are dying heroically near Kursk… Every Monday, the flag is raised, white shirts, the anthem, formation. The older teachers are clearly returning to their pioneer youth.
“In the private school (in Moscow) where I work, we have not held [Conversations about Important Things] for a long time, but starting this year inspections have started coming. Sometimes they assemble children to have mass participation and for compliance; teachers are paid extra for the extra work. They discuss neutral things – for example, one topic was Russian railways. In general, no ‘special military operation.’”
Let’s examine this: the administration and teachers of a Moscow private school are not required to do “everything at once” – to begin with, just assemble the children “to have mass participation” and teach something “neutral” because of the inspections. Meanwhile, class teachers are required to know the program and “include something” in their lessons. In this way, “independent” private schools are gradually roped into routine propaganda work.
More is asked of teachers in public schools.
“The teacher does not push, she begs the children to go [to Conversations]; they are punished for an empty classroom.”
“Two years later I found myself in another school as a class teacher. The task given by the school director was specific: take the script from the Conversations website and work through it from start to finish. Conversations about Important Things are included in the schedule. Each class has its own day. Vigilant parents help the director to monitor whether the methodology from the website has been taught to the students.”
“Everything is insane here. More and more patriotic improvisation from teachers, each in their own way, then the children repeat it. They instill in children that they must fight, defend the motherland… our school alumni are dying heroically near Kursk… Every Monday, the flag is raised, white shirts, the anthem, formation. The older teachers are clearly returning to their pioneer youth.
“At first it was basically about kindness and Pushkin; three years later it is all Putin, Medinsky and ‘our Donbass’.”
It is becoming harder and harder to explain to the children that this is all a lie.”
“They are tightening the screws now. The [local] education committee demands photos and videos and dictates topics. But our loyal administration goes to different classes every week, warning in advance that they will take pictures and asking to ensure that students attend and the topic is on the screen. We have a lesson like that once a month. It’s tolerable.”
For schoolchildren, judging by what they say, they apply a “you just have to put up with it” attitude. They resist meaningless Conversations about Important Things the same way as they do any other subject they do not like.
“My daughter, laughing her head off, told me the teacher has a portrait of Putin rolled up above the board, and when she teaches Conversations, it is rolled up, but if she hears someone approaching the room, like maybe the vice principal, she quickly pulls the string and unrolls Putin’s portrait. She immediately changes the subject and starts saying something patriotic.”
“They are tightening the screws now. The [local] education committee demands photos and videos and dictates topics. But our loyal administration goes to different classes every week, warning in advance that they will take pictures and asking to ensure that students attend and the topic is on the screen. We have a lesson like that once a month. It’s tolerable.”
For schoolchildren, judging by what they say, they apply a “you just have to put up with it” attitude. They resist meaningless Conversations about Important Things the same way as they do any other subject they do not like.
“My daughter, laughing her head off, told me the teacher has a portrait of Putin rolled up above the board, and when she teaches Conversations, it is rolled up, but if she hears someone approaching the room, like maybe the vice principal, she quickly pulls the string and unrolls Putin’s portrait. She immediately changes the subject and starts saying something patriotic.”
“What depresses parents and teachers is that the main thing children learn in these situations is doublethink and cynicism.”
“My 12-year-old daughter, of course, does not believe the propaganda. But it is a great pity that she has been so against the majority since childhood. The teacher is a 100% patriotic fool (vatnitsa), so [my daughter] sometimes goes to avoid conflicts…”
“It is worse with my eldest son, who goes to a pedagogical college. That is where all sorts of patriotic fools have gathered. My son, of course, does what he can…”
“My child had his mind formed before these Conversations, so he understands everything. But you have to teach them to be hypocrites for their own safety. There was one Z-patriotic boy in their class, he could snitch, so sure, I taught my child not to talk too much.”
“As a teacher, I can say there is now more politics and glorification of Russia. Our tax system is the best, so is our health care. My son in ninth grade is skeptical, but my other son, who is in third grade, believes all this. Which is very scary. They did something clever in his class: they schedule the lesson in the middle of the day, and he cannot miss it.”
When Conversations is your child’s favorite lesson
The most loyal attitude to Conversations about Important Things is apparently found in primary schools. The reason is that each time they tell interesting stories about a new topic like space or nature, there are many interactive activities built in and there is no homework.
“To my horror, my child loves these Conversations about Important Things, because, as I understand it, they talk about ‘general topics,’ not grammar or equations. But I cannot understand what exactly they are telling them there, he does not really explain it.”
“My son is nine years old, in third grade. At first, he liked Conversations about Important Things, especially the lessons on natural science topics. Now he calls them ‘conversations about important crap.’ Still, every Monday he wonders what they will discuss today. When the lessons are about politics and war, he says that they have got boring, as it is always the same. But he refuses to skip these lessons, he is too obedient.”
“My younger child has a completely different view.
“It is worse with my eldest son, who goes to a pedagogical college. That is where all sorts of patriotic fools have gathered. My son, of course, does what he can…”
“My child had his mind formed before these Conversations, so he understands everything. But you have to teach them to be hypocrites for their own safety. There was one Z-patriotic boy in their class, he could snitch, so sure, I taught my child not to talk too much.”
“As a teacher, I can say there is now more politics and glorification of Russia. Our tax system is the best, so is our health care. My son in ninth grade is skeptical, but my other son, who is in third grade, believes all this. Which is very scary. They did something clever in his class: they schedule the lesson in the middle of the day, and he cannot miss it.”
When Conversations is your child’s favorite lesson
The most loyal attitude to Conversations about Important Things is apparently found in primary schools. The reason is that each time they tell interesting stories about a new topic like space or nature, there are many interactive activities built in and there is no homework.
“To my horror, my child loves these Conversations about Important Things, because, as I understand it, they talk about ‘general topics,’ not grammar or equations. But I cannot understand what exactly they are telling them there, he does not really explain it.”
“My son is nine years old, in third grade. At first, he liked Conversations about Important Things, especially the lessons on natural science topics. Now he calls them ‘conversations about important crap.’ Still, every Monday he wonders what they will discuss today. When the lessons are about politics and war, he says that they have got boring, as it is always the same. But he refuses to skip these lessons, he is too obedient.”
“My younger child has a completely different view.
“In the first and second grades, children adore these lessons – they are often their favorite.They listen and eagerly discuss the topics.They leave a mark.”
Schoolchildren at the Children of War monument in Krasnoyarsk. December 2024. Source: VK
The topics there are different: traffic rules, the environment, the Great Patriotic War. The topic of the ‘special military operation’ was not discussed separately, rather it is smoothly combined with the topic of the Great Patriotic War. There are veterans, and here are veterans; there are heroes, and here are heroes; the only difference is from those times there is military equipment on pedestals around the city, but now dads and fellow soldiers can come and show a drone – much more interesting.”
Parents are puzzled: how to counter the authority of the teacher and pressure of the group? On the one hand, you want to dissuade the child, but on the other, they will have to go to the same school tomorrow. Moreover, a child’s comments about politics may prove dangerous for the family.
“A couple of times my youngest daughter (third grade) came to talk about Crimea and the fascists, so we asked the Yandex smart speaker a few questions together about the history of Crimea and reached a consensus. They see the smart speaker as an encyclopedia. You do not even have to go to the library.”
“The youngest is in first grade, that is where the trouble is. He still takes everything at face value. So I have a dilemma: explain to a small child that such an important and authoritative person as his first teacher can tell a lie. For now, I am at a loss, I hope that when he grows up I will be able to explain. But I am so disgusted that my children, like us in Soviet times, are again growing up in an atmosphere of lies and learning to lie and adapt to the system.”
“My youngest is 10. I do not know what exactly the driving influence is: Conversations about Important Things or her classmates and teachers. But she says: ‘Ukrainians are enemies, they want to kill us.’ When I said that Russia attacked Ukraine, it was a revelation for her. I try not to wind her up too much. First, age, second, what if she says too much [at school]? There would be problems.”
“My son has graduated from school, but he still had Conversations about Important Things. They were not too bad at his school, but just in case, I did some ‘reprogramming’ with him at home… so he would at least have a healthy skepticism toward officialdom. And I warned him it was dangerous to talk about such things in public.”
Still indoctrination
Over the past three years, Conversations about Important Things, along with the accompanying “patriotic” practices of raising the flag and listening to the national anthem, have become entrenched and are now important ideological rituals.
Conversations about Important Things teach children and adults how to think about what is happening in Russia and the world, what to believe and what to admire. These lessons train all their participants – students and their parents, and teachers and the school leadership – for constant participation in a “performance of subordination” (a term coined by anthropologist James Scott) – even if they wink at each other to show they do not care about what is going on and do not believe what they are being told.
Gradual indoctrination takes place, and not only of the little ones who like the lessons about birches and astronauts and the interactive lesson structure, but of everyone who in one way or another must include Conversations in the routine of their life. Adaptation occurs not in relation to the content, but to the form.
As one schoolboy put it, “that is the trick of propaganda: when everything that happens becomes so routine that, even when people are against it, it starts to feel like going to the store.”
P.S. The author expresses gratitude to Alexandra Arkhipova, the author of the @anthro_fun Telegram channel.
Parents are puzzled: how to counter the authority of the teacher and pressure of the group? On the one hand, you want to dissuade the child, but on the other, they will have to go to the same school tomorrow. Moreover, a child’s comments about politics may prove dangerous for the family.
“A couple of times my youngest daughter (third grade) came to talk about Crimea and the fascists, so we asked the Yandex smart speaker a few questions together about the history of Crimea and reached a consensus. They see the smart speaker as an encyclopedia. You do not even have to go to the library.”
“The youngest is in first grade, that is where the trouble is. He still takes everything at face value. So I have a dilemma: explain to a small child that such an important and authoritative person as his first teacher can tell a lie. For now, I am at a loss, I hope that when he grows up I will be able to explain. But I am so disgusted that my children, like us in Soviet times, are again growing up in an atmosphere of lies and learning to lie and adapt to the system.”
“My youngest is 10. I do not know what exactly the driving influence is: Conversations about Important Things or her classmates and teachers. But she says: ‘Ukrainians are enemies, they want to kill us.’ When I said that Russia attacked Ukraine, it was a revelation for her. I try not to wind her up too much. First, age, second, what if she says too much [at school]? There would be problems.”
“My son has graduated from school, but he still had Conversations about Important Things. They were not too bad at his school, but just in case, I did some ‘reprogramming’ with him at home… so he would at least have a healthy skepticism toward officialdom. And I warned him it was dangerous to talk about such things in public.”
Still indoctrination
Over the past three years, Conversations about Important Things, along with the accompanying “patriotic” practices of raising the flag and listening to the national anthem, have become entrenched and are now important ideological rituals.
Conversations about Important Things teach children and adults how to think about what is happening in Russia and the world, what to believe and what to admire. These lessons train all their participants – students and their parents, and teachers and the school leadership – for constant participation in a “performance of subordination” (a term coined by anthropologist James Scott) – even if they wink at each other to show they do not care about what is going on and do not believe what they are being told.
Gradual indoctrination takes place, and not only of the little ones who like the lessons about birches and astronauts and the interactive lesson structure, but of everyone who in one way or another must include Conversations in the routine of their life. Adaptation occurs not in relation to the content, but to the form.
As one schoolboy put it, “that is the trick of propaganda: when everything that happens becomes so routine that, even when people are against it, it starts to feel like going to the store.”
P.S. The author expresses gratitude to Alexandra Arkhipova, the author of the @anthro_fun Telegram channel.
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