The organisers of the March for Life are not slowing down. On Sunday, 16 June 2024, over two thousand people marched through the streets of Krakow. Among them were former Małopolska education superintendent Barbara Nowak, representatives from the Teachers For Freedom (Polish: Nauczyciele dla Wolności) association, the Coalition to Save Polish Schools (Polish: Koalicja na Rzecz Ocalenia Polskiej Szkoły) movement, and a councillor from the regional parliament. Families with children also participated. Their unified aim was to condemn abortion. The current superintendent, Gabriela Olszowska, was also lambasted during the march.

Among the March for Life and Family participants was former Małopolska education superintendent Barbara Nowak. She currently serves as a councillor in Krakow and actively promotes pro-life ideas. During the march, participants criticised the activities of the current school superintendent, Gabriela Olszowska.

Grażyna Lubszczyk, a member of the association Nauczyciele Dla Wolności and the movement Koalicja na Rzecz Ocalenia Polskiej Szkoły, voiced the protesters' concerns through a megaphone: 'The Małopolska education superintendent is undermining the legitimacy of grades and certificates with distinctions. On her Facebook profile, she suggests assessing students through appreciation, like inviting a student for ice cream. We want a school that not only provides a high level of education but also instils qualities such as perseverance, hard work, consistency, and honesty in students.'

In her speech, Lubszczyk referred to Gabriela Olszowska's Facebook post. In it, the Małopolska education superintendent wrote: "I am in favour of school grading, provided that we understand what the grade represents. I am against assessing students solely by grades. It is a powerful tool. Some people have misunderstood my stance; disliking certificates with distinctions (a legacy of the USSR) does not mean I am against giving grades. I am not.

1. School is not a sports competition.

2. School is not a workplace."

The superintendent continues: "A school is a place where learning occurs. The teacher's role is to identify the progression of educational requirements and to teach students to recognise the progress themselves, providing them with the appropriate tools. School is a place where inner-direction can and should be taught, so learning for a reward can also be curtailed. This is very difficult. If you want to acknowledge someone’s achievements at school, take them out for ice cream or praise them."

Olszowska concluded her post with a declaration that she does not support certificates with distinctions: "One element of modern assessment is appreciation, but it must also include cognitive elements. High demands must be made. No one, certainly not me, has suggested lowering our standards. I have not been convinced by the idea of school certificates for more than 20 years; this does not mean I reject modern assessment. Pupils and parents should receive reliable feedback on progress and achievement of the year's educational requirements. We have excellent legislation – it is our responsibility to know, understand, and apply it!"

Former Małopolska education superintendent Barbara Nowak commented on her participation in the March for Life and Family on X. She wrote: "Today's March for Life and Family in Krakow, according to PCH24.PL editor-in-chief, Krystian Kratiuk was the most beautiful! Thank you for the meetings with wonderful families and for the words of those who came at my invitation."

Earlier, Nowak had encouraged people to participate in the march, saying: "Today is another Sunday with Marches for Life and Family! Let us not allow the followers of the civilisation of death to kill children, remove crosses and throw out religious classes from schools, demoralise schoolchildren, violate the rights of parents and teachers, and destroy science and reason! #StopTheCivilisationofDeath".

Source: Gazeta Wyborcza