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Rammell: Teach "core British values"
BillieTheBot
Posts: 8,721 Bot
The long-running debate about what it means to be British rumbles on. Following the horrendous bombings in London last July, the Government was not content with its gift to us last week. They called them reports, we called them meaningless whitewash that leaves more questions than answers. Now, they are intent on yet more fiddling with the education system.
The Beeb informs us: "The government is to review whether 'core British values' should become a compulsory part of the curriculum for all 11 to 16-year-olds in England. In response to last year's London bombings, ministers want to adapt the current citizenship classes in an attempt to make society more unified. But critics say the definition of British values is too vague and education cannot prevent extremism. A second review, of the teaching of Islam in universities, is also planned." >> Story here >>
I was particularly drawn to what the Education Minister, Bill Rammell, believes on the issue. He claims "We know that young people of all faiths and of none are more prone to become radicalised than other groups in society. This is true in terms of extreme left and extreme right politics, as well as extremist religious views.". It took you TEN months to come to that conclusion? Anyone on this board could have told you that in five minutes!
The opposition claims Labour's had years to deal with this. Boris Johnson also notes the refusal to teach British history in schools as a factor. True, I remember loads of stuff about the Nazis and Henry VIII, but little else from my GCSEs and A-Levels. I can't help but feel something's being missed here, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
Will teaching "British values" in schools help to deal with terrorism? Or is this yet more gesture politics from our useless government? Does it have more to do with what's happening in Iraq, or other world events?
The Beeb informs us: "The government is to review whether 'core British values' should become a compulsory part of the curriculum for all 11 to 16-year-olds in England. In response to last year's London bombings, ministers want to adapt the current citizenship classes in an attempt to make society more unified. But critics say the definition of British values is too vague and education cannot prevent extremism. A second review, of the teaching of Islam in universities, is also planned." >> Story here >>
I was particularly drawn to what the Education Minister, Bill Rammell, believes on the issue. He claims "We know that young people of all faiths and of none are more prone to become radicalised than other groups in society. This is true in terms of extreme left and extreme right politics, as well as extremist religious views.". It took you TEN months to come to that conclusion? Anyone on this board could have told you that in five minutes!
The opposition claims Labour's had years to deal with this. Boris Johnson also notes the refusal to teach British history in schools as a factor. True, I remember loads of stuff about the Nazis and Henry VIII, but little else from my GCSEs and A-Levels. I can't help but feel something's being missed here, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
Will teaching "British values" in schools help to deal with terrorism? Or is this yet more gesture politics from our useless government? Does it have more to do with what's happening in Iraq, or other world events?
Beep boop. I'm a bot.
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Comments
Look at all of the followers of islam in the world, only a very small number of them are twisted and interpret it in their own misguided way. If you teach it at universities then you get a generation of bright young british minds, that understand it, and hopefully help the rest of us uneducated understand the differences between what we often perceive of islam in the papers, and what is actually the truth.
It is another useless stupid cack-handed government scheme that will fail.
There are many ways to combat terrorism. This isn't one at all, infact, I'd say it was more likley to backfire.
:yes: That's pretty much what I was thinking.
Also, I have to wonder what "British values" are and how idiotic you'd have to be to imagine that there are blanket values and attributes which you can apply to every British person and their feelings Britain.
This is the chief business of the state as far as schooling is concerned, teaching utter, utter nonsense with a totally straight face.
Remember this as your first child goes off to kiddie prison for the first time, to be horribly moulded by these idiots whims.
"Education is a weapon whose effects depend on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed"
True, that is. Name hte quotee for bonus points.
The English Reformation? Ending slavery? And fighting Nazi Germany was hardly imperialistic, nor was the English Civil War. Or the restoration of the monarchy.
Yep no violence or persecution there. :rolleyes:
The whole thing is daft as it won't make any difference, I think.
The English Reformation wasn’t particularly violent, certainly not compared to Europe – the religious strife and persecution mostly came later.
And I certainly wouldn’t call it imperialistic, if anything ending papal influence was anti-imperialist. Still – don’t let facts get in the way of attacking England.
Should Northern Irish kids learn about the IRA’s links to the Nazis?
what the hell are these british valyues you speak of ...do the welsh rhink the same as the english ...do the scots hold all thats dear the same as the spanish?
and i agree with klints post.
But then I suppose they need their next generation of soldiers to die for them out of pride for their country.
to simplistic?
Why not? A lot already do. And the links were tenious at best.
Fairnuf. I guess my point, (I really wasn’t trying to wind you up..)
People have many different ideas on the purpose of history but in the context of ‘citizenship’ I think teaching British history can be beneficial, by people being aware that Britain has been a force for good as well as self-interest – and that today the choices politicians make affect the way Britain will be viewed by future historians I think citizenship/civic duty is promoted to an extent.
As for Britain being "a force for good as well as self-interest", couldn't similar things be said about the USA today?
Every country throughout history has been motivated to an extent by self-interest. Colonialism and the Empire was pretty much purely for Britain’s benefit, although some people point to a few (arguably debatable) positive consequences of the British Empire. Today, I believe that Britain is generally a force for good in the world but that’s not say Britain’s actions are not influenced by self-interest.
I don’t know how the Iraq War will later be viewed. It’s already been concluded as poorly executed, I think that will stick. But I believe Blair very sincerely believed he was doing the right thing, the far left label of Blair as some ‘warmongering imperialist’ doesn’t wash. The rightness of the Iraq War will be easier judged in context, if Iraq blossoms into a liberal democracy then perhaps it won’t be seen as a bad idea. But if the danger from Iran grows to such an extent that it looks like there truly is a case for invading Iran – but the US has its hands tied in Iraq, then perhaps invading Iraq with the absence of any real danger will be seen as a mistake, if not a fatal mistake should Iran get nukes and use them.
Will Iraq "blossom" into a liberal democracy? I don't know, but I hope to dear God that it doesn't end up just becoming a land for a regime even worse than Saddam Hussein's.
no ...iraq has no chance of ...'blossoming' ...into a democracy.
it is alien to the area.
you have this westernised blindspot that democracy is the ultimate for mankind ...whilst you moan and groan and denigrate it at every step.
The business of government is destroying everything.