反對DQ歷史試題 眾籌司法覆核考試局 Appeal for crowdfunding for judicial review

【共抗政府DQ歷史試題 守護思想自由 捍衛教育自主】

眾籌司法覆核考試局取消歷史試題決定

早前，教育局指控今屆DSE歷史科中有關中日歷史的試題「損害國民情感」、「答案只有弊沒有利」，並施壓考評局要求取消有關試題。多位保皇黨議員配合政府論調，持續對考評局施壓，考評局最終在5月22號在宣佈取消該歷史科題目，所有考生於該題所獲分數將會作廢。

為反抗中共及政權對學生和教育界的打壓，中學生行動籌備平台 (下稱 “平台”) 在上星期二（2/6）正式向高等法院提交司法覆核申請，覆核考評局刪除試題的決定。布穎琪大律師及譚俊傑大律師將會於是次司法覆核代表我方。

若教育局今次能以「政治正確」的因素，成功逼令考評局取消議題，現行的教育自主將會受到嚴重衝擊。除了現屆考生的成績受影響，損害整個歷史科考試的公正性，並有可能影響的國際認受性。更重要的是，此舉會在教育界內施加了白色恐怖，令老師們授課時會避開教育局的「思想禁區」，長遠而言會令課程內容受限於政權的喜好，並淪為政府傳聲筒，削弱了學生們獨立思考以及求實求真的能力。

由於司法覆核所需費用甚多，而敗訴後更需負擔對方的訟費及律師費，因此在得知考評局委聘了霍金路偉律師行（Hogan Lovells）、杜淦堃資深大律師、唐思佩大律師等「鑽石陣容」迎戰，而教育局亦有可能參與訴訟。因此律師團隊估算法律費用會很龐大，對方的法律費用將會超過100萬。為了保障申請人的訟費風險，我們動我們必需籌募一定金額，令願意承擔法律風險的考生在失利後不至於面對龐大債務。

在與律師團隊商議後，我們期望是次眾籌能籌得120萬港元，並將所有款項用於是次司法覆核官司上，有餘額則會捐贈予612人道救援基金。法庭已正式排期在7月2-3日展開聆訊，因此我們希望在未來兩星期便籌得以上款項，讓申請人以及法律團隊免受過大壓力。

教育塑造年輕人靈魂和意志的，要避免城市沉淪，必先捍衛教育自主，以及培育出學生有獨立品格和思考。我們期望大眾能與一眾學子攜手，共同對抗中共對教育界的極權入侵。

Let’s overturn the decision to cancel the question on Chinese history in the DSE History exam

Appeal for crowdfunding for judicial review

Previously, the Education Bureau accused the DSE history exam—in particular the section on Chinese and Japanese history—of "damaging national sentiment". This was because contained the question ‘Japan’s invasion of China caused more benefit than harm.’. The Bureau argued that ‘one could only answer that the Japanese invasion brought more harm than good’. So, they pressured the HKEAA to strike out that question. A number of pro-Beijing councillors continued to pressure the HKEAA in conjunction with the government. Finally, on May 22, the HKEAA agreed to cancel the question, voiding any marks students may have gained on it.

In order to resist the suppression of the CCP, Hong Kong Secondary Students’ Action Platform (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Platform’) formally submitted an application for judicial review to the High Court on Tuesday (2/6), reviewing the decision of the Evaluation Bureau to delete the test questions. Barrister Po, Wing Kay and Barrister Tam, Jeffrey C.K. will represent us in this judicial review.

If the Education Bureau can successfully force the Examinations Council to censor questions on the grounds of political correctness, Hong Kong’s educational autonomy will be severely affected. Not only will this negatively impact the results of current candidates, it will also call the integrity of the entire DSE examination system into question, making it worthless in the eyes of the world’s educational institutions. More importantly, this move bring about white terror in the education community. Teachers will take care to avoid subjects which are politically taboo. In the long run, the history course will be reduced to nothing more than propaganda. This will also weaken students’ aptitude for independent thinking and cause their love of truth-seeking to diminish.

Judicial review is expensive enough: we certainly don’t want to lose the lawsuit and pay even more attorney’s fees than we have to. We learned that the HKEAA has appointed Hogan Lovells, Mr Dawes, Victor, S.C., Ms Tong, Sara, and other legal heavyweights for the lawsuit, and the Education Bureau may also participate in litigation. Therefore, our legal team estimates that our legal costs will be astronomical, and that the other party's legal costs will exceed 1 million HKD. In order to protect the Platform and ourselves from massive financial risk, we are trying to raise money for this judicial review. This means that candidates who are willing to bear legal risks will not face huge debts if they lose the lawsuit.

After discussing this with our lawyer, we expect that this crowdfunding will raise 1.2 million Hong Kong dollars. We will use all the money for this judicial review lawsuit, and we will donate any leftover money to the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund. The court has officially scheduled a hearing for July 2-3, so we hope to raise funds in the next two weeks to protect applicants and the legal team from excessive pressure.

It is education which shapes the soul and character of young people. If we want to save Hong Kong, we must first defend our educational independence. Only then will young people learn to think for themselves. We hope you will join our students in fighting against the CCP’s totalitarian takeover of the educational sector.