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To tackle Russia’s ‘demographic problem’ schools prepare to teach children the virtues of home, marriage, and reproduction

Source: Meduza

At the beginning of the school year, Russia officially introduced a new course called “Family Studies.” Designed for middle and high school students, the course aims to teach “spiritual and moral values” as part of a broader effort to tackle the country’s “demographic problems.” But unfortunately for Russian demographics, the course has yet to get off the ground. Meduza explains what to expect from these new lessons — and whether to expect them at all.

In August, Russia’s Institute of Education Development Strategy published the outline for a new “Family Studies” program for students in grades five to nine. A version of “Family Studies” will also be taught in high schools, but so far, its outline has only appeared on an educational portal for teachers.

Though the course was supposed to begin in early September, four teachers and several parents from various regions of Russia told Meduza that no “Family Studies” lessons had taken place in their schools yet. A teacher from a rural school suggested that the lessons might start closer to the end of September. Other teachers mentioned that the specifics of how the subject will be taught are still being hashed out in staff meetings.

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“Family Studies” is classified as an extracurricular activity, meaning it’s scheduled outside of core classes. This is the same structure currently used for “Important Conversations,” a state-designed, “patriotic” lesson series. Before the school year began, many parents and teachers voiced their frustration over the introduction of yet another “strange” subject. “Where are they going to fit this subject? In some bottomless pit?” one social media user wrote. Some parents even filed complaints with Rospotrebnadzor, arguing that the number of school hours per week exceeds guidelines. The agency replied that while increasing the total academic workload with extracurricular activities isn’t allowed, at present, there’s insufficient evidence that schools are currently breaking any rules.

Resisting ‘foreign influence’

A similar “Family Studies” course was introduced in Soviet schools as an experimental subject called “Ethics and Psychology of Family Life,” which ran from the early 1980s to the early 1990s. The course materials were considered quite progressive for their time, covering topics like “First Love,” “Men, Women, and the ‘Sexual Revolution,’” “The Secrets of Motherhood,” and “Divorce with Dignity.” However, there were no dedicated teachers for the subject, so it was often taught by teachers of other subjects — typically without much enthusiasm.

In modern Russia, family-related topics have mostly been covered in social studies classes, but discussions about introducing a standalone course began in 2017. That same year, high school students in 60 regions were offered an elective course titled “The Moral Foundations of Family Life,” authored by a Russian Orthodox priest and a nun. Since 2019, this course has been taught in 38 regions.

The purported goal of “Family Studies” is to instill “pro-family values and attitudes such as marriage, large families, and chastity” and to promote behaviors that address Russia’s “demographic challenges.” The program’s creators argue that “the value of family life is often diminished among young people due to the negative influence of destructive ideologies.” According to the program’s authors:

In the spring of 2023, Nina Ostanina, the chair of the State Duma Committee on Family Issues, pushed for the introduction of the new subject in all Russian schools. Tatiana Larionova, a United Russia deputy and head of the working group responsible for developing the course, explained why she felt the subject was needed as follows: “We are on the edge of a precipice. If we don’t start focusing on family values, our children won’t be able to resist aggressive foreign influence.” She believes that “Family Studies” lessons will lead to more large families and fewer divorces.

Home and marriage

The “Family Studies” course for middle schoolers is divided into five thematic blocks:

For 10th-grade students, topics include: “Children and Their Importance in Life: What It Means to Be a Parent,” “Divorce and Its Consequences,” and “Handling Family Matters.” For 11th graders, the focus shifts to “How to Build a Family,” “Young Families,” “A Healthy Family Environment,” and “The Rights and Responsibilities of Parents and Children.” The course authors emphasize that the outline is only a guideline and that teachers can adapt the content to fit “the age and needs” of their students.

Just ‘for show’

In November 2023, Nina Ostanina announced that a “single textbook” for the “Family Studies” course would be ready by the new school year. However, aside from a sample outline, teachers haven’t received any teaching materials, and there are still no textbooks in schools, according to what teachers told Meduza.

There is, however, a manual for the related course, “The Moral Foundations of Family Life,” which has drawn criticism. Its authors, Father Dmitry Moiseyev and Sister Nina Krygina, are accused of using fear tactics to warn students about the consequences of divorce and cohabitation outside marriage. They claim that contraception “kills love” and blame the media for infidelity.

The manual also includes other controversial claims. For example, it attributes 90 percent of divorces to abortions during marriage, saying, “By killing children, a person also kills their own love.” It also advises against raising boys with a focus on “intellectual or musical development,” as this supposedly fosters femininity.

Officially, anyone from teachers and school psychologists to guest speakers can teach “Family Studies.” A middle school teacher told Meduza that her school is still figuring out who will teach the course and how it will be conducted. One parent mentioned that a history and social studies teacher at her child’s school, who underwent professional development training to teach the subject, noted that much of the course overlaps with social studies, though it places “more emphasis on relationships.”

Since “Family Studies” is an extracurricular activity, attendance is voluntary, and by law, missing these classes can’t impact students’ grades. To avoid issues with absences, the Teachers’ Alliance recommends submitting a formal refusal to the school principal, similar to the process for opting out of “Important Conversations.”

One teacher told Meduza that at his school, “Family Studies” would exist “only on paper.” “It’s officially on the schedule, but in reality, it doesn’t exist,” he said. “In reasonable schools, a lot of things are just done for show.”