G-G
Senior Jockey
|History full stop. Having worked along side two guys over the last 3 years straight out of University ( Accounting and whatever), neither of them know ANYTHING. And I mean anything, The one I am currently working along side gained a first class degree but says he never read a book. One didn't know who William The Conqueror was, nothing about Henry V111, nothing about why Northern Ireland is Northern Ireland, history of the colonies, one didn't know what the Holocaust was, and couldn't believe it when we explained, and so on and so on. During the run up to the recent referendum in Scotland and discussing with a couple of colleagues who were Scots, the implications and the history between England and Scotland, and various incidents in the history of that relationship etc........not a clue what we were talking about. One said history started for him on 9/11. Asked what the terrorists motives. 'They didn't like the Americans'. 'Why?' 'Cos they just didn't'
Flagship uberalles
Journeyman
Do you think its better to let each community pass on their prejudices without attempting to deal with it through the education system? Brushing the past under the carpet is exactly the reason it's all going to **** now.
It's too raw at the moment -I would say that pushing people into a properly funded integrated education system would offer more in terms of a future.
Flagship uberalles
Journeyman
I agree - but the history of how we got into this mess has to be part of that integrated education system or else it would be just another Stormont fudging exercise, kicking the can down the road to deal with later.
Given that you can't teach children everything I think it's far more important to teach children of the events that led to the first and second world wars. The point of teaching history isn't just about one event but to teach the child to question everything they see, to understand how one event can lead to another and apply it to different conflicts. Then, hopefully, the pupil will grow up to take a more far reaching interest in world events past and present and question everything they see and hear [not just what the press and politicians tell them]. I'm also not sure about what original source material there is about Ireland and a lot of it is probably still under wraps.
What should be taught is the results of tribalism and nationalism as well as extreme political and religous ideology. Nazi germany, various arab states, soviet russia, pol pot and numerous African failed states. And then the students can compare and contrast in their own minds with the liberal democracies of the west. If they don't get it and still think Russell brand has a functioning thought process, then they would have to be sent to remedial class .
Can't see that happening in certain Birmingham schools of course
Can't see that happening in certain Birmingham schools of course