Kosiniak-Kamysz was speaking today at the governing council of his PSL party. Under his leadership, the rural-based party has occupied a position on the centre-right - liberal but Catholic and patriotic as today's statement has made clear.
Kosiniak-Kamysz will be taken as referring to controversial decisions by the Ministry of Education under Barbara Nowacka to remove right-leaning writers from school reading lists, including the poet Jarosław Rymkiewicz (respected as a poet by many who strongly disagreed with his sometimes provocative political statements):
Kosiniak-Kamysz said today that Polish schools should work "without lefty or righty revolutions" and that the "centre-ground is best for schools".
However, he went to present an understanding of the "centre" that will be taken, especially on the left, to be a description of right-wing values:
Values such as tradition, identity, national culture and patriotism must be passed on to the younger generation... Schools must not only teach but should bring up children in cooperation with parents and local government. That is why we shall be announcing our Bill on Patriotic Upbringing in the comings days.
The coalition is already being tested by its diverse attitudes to abortion, education may become the second test.
Sources: PAP, Radio Poland, X
pt