The case of a Romanian education ministry official has made international headlines after saying that schools should teach young women how to walk on high heels, thus helping them to integrate more easily into society.
Vasile Salaru, state secretary in the education ministry, is said to have stated during a press conference that girls should study a different curricula from the boys, teaching them how to walk pretty, to be good hosts and how to serve tea.
“I would like to see girl students studying in the 11th and 12th grades walking nicely on high heels, dancing waltz or tango, knowing how to be a good host, and I think that is one side of the Romanian education which has been totally neglected and which could remind people – I hope you don’t smile at this – of the past boarding school education,” said Vasile Salaru, quoted by Glasul Hunedoarei, a local daily newspaper.
The minister is said to have concluded his tirade with the idea that girls should walk with “chest out, bottom out, let the boys faint!”.
Several student organizations protested his comments and called for his resignation, reporting him to the National Anti-Discrimination Council also.
Vasile Salaru resigned Thursday, saying he did not want to harm his party, while stating his comments had been taken out of context and that the words quoted by the newspaper were not his.
In a statement released to Hotnews, the official said that “what the newspaper published are not my words and my right to reply was not published. The journalist used expressions which never belonged to me but have brought me major damage” adding that the recording of the press conference is available for viewing on a local television website, and that it would prove he did not use ” trivial expressions, especially concerning students“.
Natalia Martian