Russia has denied the visas of 30 teachers and staff of a school in Moscow that specializes in the education of both foreign diplomat’s children and Russian children alike. The school is a non-profit entity established in 1949 by the US, British and Canadian governments with representatives from each country playing a role in its operation and administration.
The group of 30 accounts for about one fifth of the school’s total staff, leaving them with a significant issue as the new school term is due to start August 20. The school is already scrambling to find alternatives and may have to turn some students away.
Foreign teachers at the Moscow school have always been issued diplomatic visas, just as Russian teachers in the Russian embassy have been issued diplomatic visas by the United States. Making this ruling seems less about the school and more about the growing tensions between Russia and the US.
“We stand ready to issue visas to all employees of US diplomatic missions in our country, including schoolteachers, as promptly as possible . . . provided that Washington acts the same way with regard to Russian personnel,” spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.