Scottish tidies in Schools

[rich47]

The Scottish Government wants to introduce a course of Scottish Studies
in schools.
This would include Scottish history, literature, culture and so forth.
Labour opposition politicians claim that this amounts to "brainwashing" to a
SNP agenda.
When ever was education about one's country's history brainwashing.
What are these Labour losers worried about?
Perhaps the "parcel of rogues" who sold Scotland out those many years ago
have reincarnated.

[rojash]

>>>"Xenophobia is a very English word"<<<

"And there was me thinking that it was Greek!"

Nope, it's English. Taking the Anglicised versions of two Greek words and sticking them together does not create a Greek word.

[emmie]

rich47 morning, hope you have calmed down,
i looked at that and thought, well some of little darlings could be a bit tidier, but a course, ummm
Surely we would all like this, being taught about our country's past, England's history seems to have been whitewashed out of the system, i believe to appease those who think that we have much to answer to by way of our colonial past. Don't see why there isn't room for Scottish history in Scottish schools, wish more of your countrymen knew about it's history, some lovely people i have met, already mentioned, have shown a shocking lack of knowledge on the subject.
I wish you well in your endeavours, have a good day x

[rowanwitch]

Don't they teach Welsh in welsh schools...and judging by the number of obviously painted by the kiddies red dragons on the windows of welsh primary schools they are happily teaching 'welshness' but perhaps Labour haven't noticed

[Brenden]

I am an advocate of everybody learning the history and culture of their country, and other countries, we must have this knowledge if we can prevent some of the atrocities that have occurred throughtout history repeating itself.

[emmie]

Brenden, i totally agree, however sadly history does repeat itself, and few politicians, those in high places, seem to learn from it.

[jake-the-peg]

Teaching this as "Scottish Studies" is at least more honest than what most Tories seem to want.

It seems they want to indoctrinate kids with the story of "our Island race" - Agincourt, the Armada, the British Empire and WWII and call it history.

At least if they did that under the guise of English or British Studies it would be more honest as to what they were trying to achieve.

[Snafu03]

doesnt really surprise me. Scotland has always been fiercely jingoistic since the year dot. Their insular attitude and lack of embracing anything un-Scottish has always been apparent.

I notice most simple everyday products in supermarkets such as milk, bread are labelled up as 'Scottish Milk', 'Scottish Bread' etc. I've been to a fair few countries around this world and not witnessed the same level of staunch nationalism.

[Quizmonster]

"Their insular attitude and lack of embracing anything un-Scottish has always been apparent."
What arrant nonsense! As already suggested above, you'd be hard pressed to find a corner of the world - however remote - that doesn't have some Scottish representation. The Scots have taken to the world - and the world to them - in a vastly more accepting and accepted way than the English.

[Haggisdj]

I went to Paisley Grammar School in the sixties. When I moved to England in 1970, aged 12, the history I was taught was completely different. Looking back I was being taught history with a Scottish slant followed by history with an English slant.

[emmie]

Quizmonster, the trouble with some people is that they will insist on generalising, i mean not being accepting and accepted if you are English, so you know this for a fact. Strange that English is still one of the most widely spoken and taught languages in the world, whether you are English doing the teaching matters not a jot. Scotland and a few of its brightest gave the world a great deal, but lets not forget that others have too, William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens to name but two.

[Kromovaracun]

"Here in England religion is watered down because of the influx of immigrants"

Religion is watered down because of the influx of atheism.

You can debate whether that's a good or a bad thing, but let's at least get our causality right...

[tara20]

Back again, good morning.
It makes sense to teach children subjects on an area they can identify with.
Only then you can go further afield, once their interest is aroused.

[emmie]

K, perhaps, but i think it's more like don't care, whilst some other religions in Britain are flourishing.

[modeller]

You seem to forget that half a childs education is in primary schools
i.e 5 to 11 where you don't / can't have a specialist in every single subject .
What you need is are good teachers who are capable of giving the children a broad education, for the purpose of first living in this island and secondly the world. All this talk about emphasising a particular local version of the arts is not going to help them especially if other subjects have to be dropped. I don't think it is brainwashing if the subjects are taught in the broad brush of history but I can see if it is taught as a separate Scottish Studies it could become unbalanced.
If it is to be introduced I hope it is only in the secondary sector.
W

[rich47]

Good morning em and tara ... two of the more sensible people on the planet.
How are things in London / Vienna this morning?

[rich47]

Question for the ED ... when will we be able to edit our posts?

[mosesg]

I remember when I was at school one of the mother of an English families at our school said to the teacher that she had learnt more about English history in Scotland than she did when she was in England. She said she was facinated by the history books her children brought home. I think they should introduce scottish studies instead of religion. I was fortunate that we had classical studies instead of religious studies, because the latin teacher was standing in for the RE teacher and we persuaded her to teach us classical studies instead. Now if ever there was a subject that should be re-introduced.

[Quizmonster]

Em, I have lived and worked in a variety of countries around the eastern world. In several, I have been told by locals - who took me to be English, naturally enough - that they didn't like the English. When I said I wasn't English but Scottish, their attitude changed dramatically to one of friendliness. So, yes, I DO "know this for a fact" and have confirmed it from similar tales told by other Scots. Have you any evidence that the reverse has ever happened? "Ooh, we love you English; it's these Jocks we can't stand!"
You seem to have missed my point yet again. My answer was NOT intended to denigrate the English en masse but entirely in response to the silly point made by Snafu in the answer directly above mine. However, as just explained, I do have personal and anecdotal evidence that the Scots are by and large more popular abroad than the English. Perhaps this is because it tended to be Englishmen who drew maps on the backs of cigarette packets and said things like, "Right, from now on THIS is Iraq and THAT is Kuwait!?"

[Quizmonster]

The !? above was a typo. Only the exclamation mark was intended.