Hsinchu City teachers allegedly conscripted for government PR; City Hall denies mandatory requirement

A controversy has emerged in Hsinchu City, Taiwan, with accusations that the municipal government is leveraging teachers to promote its achievements through social media. A post on a social platform alleged that under the leadership of Education Department Director Lin Li-sheng, teachers are being compelled to write press releases and function as public relations agents for the city.

The post further claimed that teachers' personal Facebook accounts are being "commandeered" for this purpose, with instructions to post photos of school events immediately and actively seek "likes." This has sparked debate among netizens, with some expressing solidarity with the teachers, arguing that their workload is already heavy and should focus on education, not public relations.

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This is commodifying schools, requiring all levels of schools to immediately upload photos to Facebook after holding events, and also to strive for likes. Teachers' private Facebook accounts are being requisitioned, and superiors are adding subordinates as friends.

However, the Hsinchu City Government's Education Department has responded to the claims, stating that while they encourage schools to share educational outcomes and activity information through diverse channels to inform parents and citizens about school features and student performance, the methods of promotion are independently managed by the schools based on their needs and administrative plans. The department emphasized that there is no mandatory requirement for schools to use specific social media platforms for promotion.

The timing of these allegations coincides with the graduation and enrollment seasons, a period when schools are actively promoting their successes. The debate highlights a tension between the desire to showcase educational achievements and the concern for teachers' well-being and their primary role in instruction.

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The city government encourages all schools to share educational outcomes and activity information through diverse channels, allowing parents and citizens to understand the schools' features and students' performance. However, related promotional methods are independently organized by the schools based on actual needs and administrative planning, and there is no mandatory requirement for schools to promote through specific social media platforms.