Just not cricket ... the exclusion of Winston Churchill is likely to leave traditionalists aghast. (File photo) (Reuters: Toby Melville)
Posted on 07/12/2007 11:42:03 PM PDT by Stoat
Posted
Updated
Just not cricket ... the exclusion of Winston Churchill is likely to leave traditionalists aghast. (File photo) (Reuters: Toby Melville)
Britain's World War II prime minister Winston Churchill has been cut from a list of key historical figures recommended for teaching in English secondary schools, a government agency says.
The radical overhaul of the school curriculum for 11- to 14-year-olds is designed to bring secondary education up to date and allow teachers more flexibility in the subjects they teach, the Government said.
But although Adolf Hitler, Mahatma Gandhi, Joseph Stalin and Martin Luther King have also been dropped from the detailed guidance accompanying the curriculum, Sir Winston's exclusion is likely to leave traditionalists aghast.
A spokesman for the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority said the new curriculum, to be taught from September 2008, does not prescribe to teachers what they must include.
But he added: "Teachers know that they need to mention these pivotal figures. They don't need to be instructed by law to mention them in every history class.
"Of course, good teachers will be teaching the history of Churchill as part of the history of Britain. The two are indivisible."
Sir Winston's grandson Nicholas Soames, also a Conservative Member of Parliament, described the move as "madness."
"It is absurd. I expect he wasn't New Labour enough for them ... this is a Government that is very careless of British history and always has been.
"The teaching of history is incredibly important," he added.
"If you're surprised that people do not seem to care that much about the country in which they live, the reason is that they don't know much about it."
The History Curriculum Association said it was "appalled" by the move, saying the new curriculum would "promote ignorance" and was pandering to a politically-correct agenda.
The Conservatives' schools spokesman Michael Gove added: "Winston Churchill is the towering figure of 20th century British history.
"His fight against fascism was Britain's finest hour. Our national story can't be told without Churchill at the centre."
Schools Secretary Ed Balls defended the move, saying a slimmed-down curriculum was overdue and traditional elements in all subjects had been protected.
Among the few named figures that stay in the new history curriculum are William Wilberforce, the British law maker who was instrumental in efforts to abolish the slave trade.
Sir Winston, who was British prime minister from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955, was famous for his defiance to the Nazis, stirring oratory and trademark cigar and "V for victory" sign.
In 2002, a BBC poll with more than one million votes saw him voted the Greatest Briton of all time.
Two-finger salute to ChurchillBy DAVID WOODING Whitehall Editor July 13, 2007 FURY erupted last night after Sir Winston Churchill was axed from school history lessons.
Britain’s cigar-chomping World War Two PM — famed for his two-finger victory salute — was removed from a list of figures secondary school children must learn about. Instead they will be taught about “relevant” issues such as global warming and drug dangers. Churchill’s grandson, Tory MP Nicholas Soames, branded the move “total madness.” The decision to axe Churchill is part of a major shake-up aimed at dragging the national curriculum into the 21st century, it was claimed last night. But the plan — hatched by advisers — angered schools secretary Ed Balls, who vowed to probe ALL the changes to the curriculum. The proposals will see traditional timetables torn up, with pupils focusing on modern “relevant” topics such as drug and booze abuse, climate change and GM foods. Churchill — voted the greatest ever Briton — goes off the required lessons list, along with Hitler, Gandhi, Stalin and Martin Luther King. There will also be no need to mention the Wars of the Roses, Elizabeth I or Henry VIII. The move left Mr Balls locked in a row with his curriculum advisers. He insisted: “Churchill should be taught to all pupils and I shall be taking steps to ensure it is.” Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove said: “Winston Churchill is the towering figure of 20th-century British history. His fight against fascism was Britain’s finest hour. “Our national story can’t be told without Churchill at the centre.” Churchill’s grandson, Tory MP Nicholas Soames, stormed: “It’s total madness. The teaching of history is incredibly important. If people do not seem to care about the country in which they live, the reason is that they don’t know much about it.” Ministers said the shake-up will free up a quarter of the school day so teachers can focus more on individual pupil needs. All subjects for 11 to 14-year-olds face an overhaul. ENGLISH: Lessons must focus on reading and writing accurately and speaking clearly. Classic and modern literature will be a must. Recommended authors will include Jane Austen, George Orwell and Alan Bennett. Pupils must study at least one Shakespeare play. SCIENCE: Touchy issues such as genetic engineering of plants and animals and use of nuclear power are added. Kids will also learn about the effects of drugs such as booze, cigarettes and cannabis, sexual health and infection. MATHS: Personal finance, such as how to manage a bank account and work out credit card interest will be added to algebra, linear equations and ratios. HISTORY: Will still focus on major events in Britain, Europe and the world, including both world wars, the Holocaust, and the British Empire. Visits to museums, galleries and historical sights are a must. MODERN LANGUAGES: Schools will be able to stop teaching French, German and Spanish and offer other languages, including Urdu, Chinese, Russian, and Arabic. Qualifications and Curriculum Authority boss Ken Boston said the changes would equip young people “with the skills for life and work in the 21st century”. A spokesman said changes would not be radical, adding: “Anne Boleyn will still be beheaded, the Pennines will remain the backbone of England and Romeo will still fall in love with Juliet.” Headteachers last night said that the reforms were “a move in the right direction”. |
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As a young man he made this observation.........
How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live.…A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men.
Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities ... but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science, the science against which it had vainly struggled, the civilisation of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilisation of ancient Rome. [The River War, first edition, Vol. II, pp. 248-50.]
Then why are you splitting them apart?
Think it hasn't happened here? Get a hold of your kids history books and take a good look.
As far back as the early 80's, when I was active with groups around the country fighting government intrusion into the family and the dumbing down/socialism in our school rooms, a new 5th grade history book hit the schools with 5 1/2 pages and photos of = Marilyn Monroe. And one small, derogatory paragraph on George Washington. (for one small example)
How can you teach about WW11 and not include Churchill???
Although your essential and entirely relevant question isn't dealt with directly in either of the two posted article, one might infer an answer from this quote from the Sun article:
MODERN LANGUAGES: Schools will be able to stop teaching French, German and Spanish and offer other languages, including Urdu, Chinese, Russian, and Arabic. Qualifications and Curriculum Authority boss Ken Boston said the changes would equip young people “with the skills for life and work in the 21st century”.
I've never been one to use the word "madness" but Sir Winston's grandson was right on in using it here.
Well, yes, if Kyoto goes through. Corporations will move their business to the third world countries and countries like China because they will not be required to sign on. (I guess alGore has invented a way for those countries to keep their polluted air inside their borders)
Anyway, the big guys will set up in the those countries where they can pollute to their hearts content - and so, of course, it makes sense for kids to learn these third world languages so they can go get jobs there, rather than the languages most spoken in the civilized world... sarq
ping
God forbid we should learn about dictators and the people who stood up to them. Might give the unwashed ideas.
They have no pride left...and they had so much to be proud of.
Looks like preparation for dhimitude to me. The west deserves to die if the masses allow these ignorant educated slobs run the world.
My father-in-laws folks immigrated from England around 1915 and he was born here, all three must be turning in their graves. They were all so proud of Churchill and the English for the way they fought the Germans and stood up in the blitz.
Maybe it’s for the best. /s
After all, there hardly a man left in England with the balls of Churchill.
How can you teach about WW11 and not include Churchill???
My guess would be that any remaining 'instruction' pertaining to WW2 would be couched in the notion that Great Britain was a co-aggressor and was ultimately responsible for the conflict, just as the Socialist idiots over on this side of the pond would prefer that people blame the United States (and President Bush, but of course not Clinton, Carter, etc. ) for 9/11 and the War On Terror (although of course they would prefer that the term " war on terror" not be used and instead be replaced with "The Glory Of Islam's Rise And Justified Defense Against Aggressor Nations")
No, (and I realize this isn’t a tech board), but it’s more important to teach students how to handle a modern computer algebra system (CAS) e.g., Mathematica, Maple, MatLab.
Who, in this age, does Gauss-Jordan elimination by hand calculation to invert a matrix and/or solve a system of linear equations?
Personal fiance or how to manage a checking account should be let to another class.
I didn’t know who Alan Bennett is.
Many of Bennett’s characters are unfortunate and downtrodden, or meek and overlooked. Life has brought them to an impasse, or else passed them by altogether. In many cases they have met with disappointment in the realm of sex and intimate relationships, largely through tentativeness and a failure to connect with others.
As for Urdu.
Standard Urdu has approximately the twentieth largest population of native speakers, among all languages. It is the national language of Pakistan as well as one of the 23 official languages of India.
Is this some kind of sick joke?
As evidenced by some of the comments following the source article.
Gadzooks! The inmates... 
have control of the asylum!
It's definitely sick; or, as Winston Churchill's grandson properly put it "total madness", but it's definitely no joke.
It's not a nightmare that we can wake up from tomorrow morning and have it disappear into the turgid, feverish cauldron of dreamtime along with other whisps of fancy
This is now a matter of official, Governmental policy and it will be how things are done from now on. This will be how the next generation will be taught and form the foundations of what they know and understand to be the truth about the world and of human achievement.
It is as real as a heart attack, and may God Bless and Help us all.
“Study history, study history. In history lies all the secrets of statecraft.” ~Sir Winston Churchill~
Great Britain Fury at Churchill statue (Former PM and beloved hero is in a straightjacket)
Western nations are racing to fling themselves into the abyss. Incredible. All the suffering and sacrifice of people to make nations where man can be free, and the liberals and sheeple are now racing back into bondage. Just heartbreakingly incredible.
God, this is depressing....
Not a bit surprising, but so depressing.
I never imagined I’d live long enough to see such INTENTIONAL ignorance and stupidity.
No doubt ‘they’ will soon remove all the greats from American history in the US too.
But I’m sure they will continue to teach how wonderful Marx, Mao, Stalin, Lenin, Castro and Ho Chi Minh were... And no doubt soon add the ‘savior of Rhodesia’, Mugabe, and the ‘savior of Venezuela’, Chavez.
Corection; Winston Churchill is the towering figure of 20th Century WORLD history.
Sad. Churchill was the greatest leader of the 20th Century in spite of his early shortcomings. Saving the UK from the onslaught of the Nazis is a feat unsurpassed in history.
I’m sure they will learn all about GoreBull warming.
Mohammed and the importance of Islam and how the peaceful Islamics were under attack from us violent westerners.
They will learn about the great Shaka Zulu.
Britain is lost.
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Bye-bye, Britain.
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Contact details I hope you will feel free to contact me if you have any concerns which you would like to raise or simply if you want to let me know your views or arrange a visit to the Palace of Westminster.
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Please let him know that Sir Winston's memory is beloved on this side of the pond as well.
I never forgot walking into a Ben&Jerry’s ice cream shop back in early 90’s and a large banner proclaiming (among other points like world government and anti-RKBA) that we should learn a new language...basically for the same reasons.
England needs to be free. How can we help these poor surpressed backwards people?
MODERN LANGUAGES: Schools will be able to stop teaching French, German and Spanish and offer other languages, including Urdu, Chinese, Russian, and Arabic. Qualifications and Curriculum Authority boss Ken Boston said the changes would equip young people “with the skills for life and work in the 21st century”.I think a case could be made that French, German and Spanish are not so important for a British student, since Western Europeans speak so much English. The same is true in the US, except for Spanish, which is important for American kids because of all the Spanish being spoken around them.
Meanwhile, I think its important for the Western world to learn as much Arabic as possible. In the current clash of civilizations, knowing the language of the enemy is incredibly important. Just ask the Israelis.
The report was about Dr. Martin Luther King.
Being February, I asked her if she would be doing a report on George Washington?
Her response was, “Who’s George Washington?”
(We had history lessons for days after that)
If the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will say, “This was their darkest hour.”
Just looking at the rest of the list of “dropped” individuals: Hitler, Stalin, Gandhi...... Just what ARE they going to teach?
You know, when I taught, and when I was in school myself, we studied ALL the subjects they discussed-—both approved and unapproved. (All except the guy they “approved” that helped end slavery in England. I’ve never heard of him!?)
the joke is...in the USA kids are now taught more about mlk than washington & lincoln!!!!
none learn much about history and the advancement of civilization except how the whites were land grubbing racists that exploited blacks/natives/women and brought pollution and destruction of the environment at home and abroad!!!!
How would you teach WWII WITHOUT teaching about HITLER? This is remarkable. England, one of the countries with the richest history in the world, has opted to “shorten” their history by leaving out half of it?? Remarkable.
A spokesman for the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority said the new curriculum, to be taught from September 2008, does not prescribe to teachers what they must include. But he added: "Teachers know that they need to mention these pivotal figures. They don't need to be instructed by law to mention them in every history class. "Of course, good teachers will be teaching the history of Churchill as part of the history of Britain. The two are indivisible."
He's saying that a competent teacher of history should be trusted to cover key figures like Churchill as a matter of course, and doesn't need a government edict to instruct him to do so. This seems to me be entirely reasonable and a welcome change. Most who have posted about this seem to have been influenced by the tendentious tone of the article into believing that teachers have been instructed not to teach about Churchill. This, if true, would be a very different matter and indeed alarming: but as far as I can see there's nothing at all to suggest this is the case.
“No doubt ‘they’ will soon remove all the greats from American history in the US too.”
This is one of the main reasons why we homeschool our children. It is already happening in U.S. schools. This is what a “national” curriculum will lead to...just a matter of time if Hillary, Obama, et. al. (socialists/communists) take the White House, though the Repubs are no better along these lines. Government indoctrination of our youth at taxpayer expense. We are forced to pay (regardless of whether we send the children to government schools or not) Caesar’s tribute to have the children brainwashed with nonsensical PC crap, while ignoring the true history of our nation (warts and all).
Because Winston Churchill was not involved in World War eleven.
What I find more revealing and disturbing is what they are required to teach about..."...Instead they will be taught about “relevant” issues such as global warming and drug dangers..."
Too bad that Churchill quote won’t fit into a tagline.
Well...I am no mathematician, but I would think that while nobody would want or need to do those things by hand calculation, they must know how to do them by hand in order to understand them intimately enough to use them appropriately.
You sound like a mathematician...how do you feel about that aspect of it?
The Brits are DOOMED!
England is a nation of neutered pygmies that dont deserve to even breathe the air of the once mighty country that Sir Winston led through the darkness. Winston Churchill is still the towering figure of the 20th century.
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