Says that parents have no right to force education upon children.
There are a number of children with popular YouTube channels in Japan, but few would even dare to attempt what 10-year old YouTuber Yutabon has done.
Not only does Yutabon regularly skip school — he has been doing so for two years now — he actually advocates not attending classes to his 20,000-strong fanbase. It all started in third grade when he saw how his classmates obeyed teachers as if they were robots. Not wanting to become a mindless machine himself, Yutabon vowed to skip school and spread his way of thinking to others.
▼ Most of his videos garner a lot of negative comments.
Taken from a section of the video above, this was what he said:
“If kids wish to go to school, then parents are obligated to let them. But if they do not want to attend classes, then parents have no right to force them to. Many children will suffer and die if they are forced to receive education. Life is very important, so protect yourselves!”
Although education for elementary and junior high school students is compulsory in Japan, the fact is that expulsion is extremely rare, even if the student ditches school for months without a word, which explains why Yutabon is technically still enrolled.
Despite many concerned parents disapproving of Yutabon’s messages, his channel has amassed over 20,000 followers, not to mention that the boy regularly hosts an Internet radio program every Saturday to discuss freedom in today’s youth.
▼ Are people actually encouraging his behavior?
Suspicion began to grow when netizens wondered just what sort of parents Yutabon has, to allow a mere child to forsake education just because he thought he did not like the system. It soon came to light that Yutabon’s father himself, called Yukiya Nakamura, was a delinquent who chose not to attend high school at all (high school is not compulsory in Japan) back in the day.
Nakamura’s history is colorful, a wayward student known for stealing bikes and smoking. Joining the workforce after graduating from junior high, he has changed jobs more than 20 times ever since. He has committed blackmail, theft, assault, not to mention being found in possession of illegal drugs and stimulants. The irony is that that he only realized much later how important being a law-abiding citizen and education was in society, a lesson that seems to have been omitted from Yutabon’s upbringing.
Nevertheless, the young YouTuber hopes his thought-provoking videos can save as many schoolkids as possible. And save people he did, though not in the way he intended.
▼ This one junior high student learned better.
(Translation below)
“I’m a third-year junior high student who has not been to school since my first year. I saw your video during Golden Week and thought it’d be a grave mistake if I continued skipping classes. I walked into my class today after two years. Even though I only went to the entrance ceremony, everyone accepted me and I felt foolish for distancing myself from them. It might be a little tiring, but I will attend school from now on! You have changed my view on life!!! Thank you so much!!!”
Perhaps someday Yutabon will outgrow his naive way of thinking, but we least we are glad that some people have learned to steer clear from his example. There is a purpose to education, providing valuable skills and instilling good manners that enable us to survive in society. Without it, everyone would think it is perfectly fine for students to violently kick their teachers.
Source: YouTube/Yutabon via Hachima Kiko (1, 2), Yahoo! Japan, Twitter/@kento_liver
Top image: YouTube/Yutabon
Insert image: Pakutaso
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