"Patriotism" Classes Nixed in Hong Kong

Leaders bend to massive protests

One day before Hong Kong residents vote to elect a new legislature, the Chinese territory's leader backed down on a contested plan to promote patriotism in local schools, bowing to political pressure and hunger strikers.

At an evening news conference, Leung Chun-ying announced that the administration would allow schools to decide for themselves whether to implement so-called "moral and national" education classes. Previously, the government had said that it would require schools to begin such curriculum by 2015. "We're giving the authority to the schools," Mr. Leung said.