2018 Volume 15 Pages 27-37
The purpose of this paper is to clarify the differences in interpretations of the Social Education Law by local residents and by the Ikeda Town Board of Education.
In recent years, when residents wish to hold a study meeting on a theme related to political matters, there have cases where Kominkan, basing their decisions on Article 23, Paragraph 1, Section 2 of the Social Education Law, have refused to let them use their facilities.
In Ikeda Town a problem occurred when the Kominkan, which had approved the application of a resident for the use of the venue, decided to rescind its permission the day before the meeting. The Board of Education and the resident discussed the reasons behind the cancellation for about one year. As a result of these discussions, the Board of Education acknowledged that the cancellation had been a mistake and apologized to the resident.
The cancellation of permission to use the Kominkan by Ikeda Town officials raises issues for future research, and calls for the clarification of the question of why social education officials interpret the Social Education Law in such a way as to restrict the use of Kominkan by local residents..
