New study: Patriotism lessons could be introduced to foster nation pride but teachers think it could exclude non-British pupils
Posted on 02/01/2008 4:32:34 AM PST by Stoat
New study: Patriotism lessons could be introduced to foster nation pride but teachers think it could exclude non-British pupils
Nearly 90 per cent opposed plans for history and citizenship lessons aimed at fostering national identity and pride.
One of the 47 London teachers questioned said the lessons might encourage "BNP-"type thinking". Another said the idea "reeked of the old British empire".
In a report based on its findings, the Institute of Education said Britain's "morally ambiguous" history suggested patriotism should be covered as a "controversial issue" only.
The Left-leaning institute polled 47 teachers and 299 students at secondary schools in the capital.
Three-quarters of the staff said they felt obliged to alert their pupils to the dangers of patriotic sentiments.
"Praising patriotism excludes non-British pupils," said one.
"Patriotism about being British in my experience tends to be a white preserve so divides groups along racial lines, when what we aim to do is bring pupils to an understanding of what makes us all the same."
Another said: "It can be quite divisive. There is a propensity for that sort of BNP-type thinking to come through."
A third said: "Left to my own devices I wouldn't dream of covering it really, explicitly. To me it sort of reeks of the old British empire."
Despite these remarks, more than half the teachers and students in the survey agreed that it was a good thing for citizens to be patriotic.
Michael Hand, the report's author, said: "Gordon Brown and David Cameron have both called for a history curriculum that fosters attachment and loyalty to Britain.
"But the case for promoting patriotism in schools is weak.
"Patriotism is love of one's country, but are countries really appropriate objects of love? Loving things can be bad for us, for example when the things we love are morally corrupt.
"Since all national histories are at best morally ambiguous, it's an open question whether citizens should love their countries."
Revamped citizenship lessons being introduced later this year will require secondary pupils to learn about British values such as tolerance and free speech.
They will have to study national identity "through the prism of history", including the legacy of empire.
There was an outcry last year when Winston Churchill was dropped from a list of figures which needed to be covered in history, although the Second World War remains compulsory.
Chris McGovern, director of the History Curriculum Association pressure group, said: "We are actually causing children to be unpatriotic by skewing the curriculum towards making children feel guilty about their history."
He added that lessons on the industrial revolution, for example, focused on child labour and dire conditions in factories at the expense of an appreciation of the era's achievements.
Ofsted warned last year that schools were failing to do enough to give pupils a proper understanding of British values and history.
The education watchdog claimed such lessons could help youngsters grasp the country's common values as well as appreciate its diverse cultures.
Schools Minister Jim Knight said: "There is nothing wrong with being patriotic and proud of being British.
"We firmly believe that in today's diverse society all children should learn about events and themes which have shaped this country.
"At the same time it is important that children learn tolerance, respect and understanding of other cultures and countries.
"We see no contradiction between the two."
We have no shortage of the sort of insanity referred to in this article here in the USA either:
FLAGGING ON PATRIOTISM 101 (multiculturalism in--patriotism out, at public schools)
Coming soon to a school near you in the US.
Whites need to be taught to be ashamed of themselves. Hate whitie is the only message appropriate for children.
Shaking my head in disbelief.....90%???? The world has gone nuts.
Alrighty then next time some piddly little third world cesspool needs England to save their backsides for the countless time all partriotic Brits should turn their backs.
Amazon.com Hating Whitey and Other Progressive Causes Books David Horowitz
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Next the Canadians are going to be complaining because they're behind the Aussies.
We homeschool with a marvelous old American literature textbook called “Within The Americas.” Every page contains praise of the American way of life. Today this would be branded propaganda and in some places, hate literature. It’s a treasure.
Patriotism. Another excellent reason to homeschool!
Alrighty then next time some piddly little third world cesspool needs England to save their backsides for the countless time all partriotic Brits should turn their backs.
When that happens, the West is STILL held accountable for the slaughter, as evidenced by Darfur.
No matter what the West does, we will ALWAYS be wrong in the eyes of the Left.
You're the one who's touchy, you brought it up. I would think the folks in the rear ranks would be happy to be there (they don't get shot first).
< GONG >
No wonder the Brits are emmigrating to other countries at the rate of 175,000(+) a year. The influx of non westernized foreigners, totally inadequate health care, extreme criminal violence...(just read the The Daily Mail each morning).
I used to be a true anglophile....visited there many, many times. No more.
I don’t suppose they have a problem with patriotism being taught in, say, Zimbabwe or Syria.
touche, sarcasm tags help ;)
Or Iran, North Korea or Cuba.
The Left will NEVER acknowledge that, on balance, the West and Western culture has been a force for good in the world and is therefore worth celebrating, whereas so many other cultures have been forces of tyranny and deserve to be ground into the dirt and relegated to the dustbin of history.
Let’s look at some of Britain’s “moral failings”:
defeating Hitler
defeating the Kaiser
defeating Napoleon
defeating Hussein
defeating Tojo
defeating piracy
breaking the Iron Curtain
abolishing slavery
introducing modern sanitation on two continents
ending tribal warfare on two continents
liberating the serfs
bringing modern food production to starving regions
modern nursing
Great Writ of Habeas Corpus
preserving trial by jury
“But the case for promoting patriotism in schools is weak.”
“Patriotism is love of one’s country, but are countries really appropriate objects of love? Loving things can be bad for us, for example when the things we love are morally corrupt.”
“Since all national histories are at best morally ambiguous, it’s an open question whether citizens should love their countries.”
Honestly, these PC pudding-brains are going to be the death of freedom everywhere. There is absolutely nothing wrong with teaching the reality of history, balanced and complete, without the multi-culti crap and feel-good pablum on which the leftists thrive.
The fabric of history is woven with many threads. Leaving some out because we may offend someone is simple BS. The reality of history is just that...reality. Get over it.
The history of the world is one of conquest, with significant portions of subjugation and even genocide. The history of the world also includes amazing examples of music, art, scientific advances fueled by the imagination of the mind God gave us. Mankind has been free to choose the path of history. We have not always chosen wisely. But to deny the realities of history is just ridiculous, and dooms the future to repeat the past.
British history includes the Magna Carta, the foundational document for all the free states to follow. British history includes colonialism, without which a large portion of the world would still be scared by the electric light bulb. Can you find examples of excess in that history? Absolutely. But, thosse excesses are clearly the exception, not the rule. Are there elements of history for which the Brits should feel some sense of responsibility? Very likely. Should those be swept under the rug in the interest of being PC? Absolutely NOT. Remembrance precludes duplication, in a civil society.
Foster love of country? Hear! Hear! An absolutely stellar concept. Fostering patriotism and a sense national identity and national pride is a good thing. It provides a common foundation on which to build a dynamic future. Does it lead to intolerance? Doubtful. Tolerance does not mean blind appeasement; but, tolerance must be mutual. And, sad to say, in today’s world mutual tolerance is in short supply. Stop apologizing for patriotism. Patriotism is a good thing...a wonderful thing.
Or Gaza, or Iran, or S.A., or Pakistan, or ....
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