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Teachers demand schools stop promoting British values over cultural supremacy fears

(edited 6 years ago)

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Absolute outrage I read the telegraph article. Makes your blood boil
Reply 2
Original post by Mathemagicien
Anyone else worried about the ridiculous political bias of teachers?


Is not just the teachers, it's all unions.

All the same. All ridiculous.
I have met several NUT reps . Never met one that wasnt a rectum.
Original post by Mathemagicien
The National Union of Teachers (NUT) said telling children about the country's democracy, law and traditions could encourage 'cultural supremacy' and urged a new focus on 'international human rights' instead. Union leaders said the the term 'British values' was demeaning to other cultures 'particularly in the context of multicultural schools and the wider picture of migration'.

Christopher Denson, an NUT representative: 'We need to fight to reject this notion of British values, to fight for notions of human values and human rights. We have to stand together across communities to bring down barriers, bring down borders, to say no to Islamophobia, no to anti-Semitism, no to fascism and any form of racism.'

Mr Denson said he disliked using the term 'fundamental British values' in his classroom when many of his pupils had ancestry in countries which had encountered British colonialism. He said: 'The inherent cultural supremacism in that term is both unnecessary and unacceptable. And seen with the Prevent agenda, it belies the most thinly veiled racism and a conscious effort to divide communities.' He added: 'It's our duty to push real anti-racist work in all schools.'He said he had requested a week of themed assemblies every year in his school, with topics including apartheid and the rise of Islamophobia.'This year we focussed on the migrant crisis,' he added. 'We organised a politics day for Year 8s... ...Apart from the quality of the work, the other thing that really made my proud was that every single tutor group had as a policy, 'refugees welcome, open the borders', We need to be pushing at every level for anti-racism to be in the core curriculum.'

The NUT passed a motion that criticised the government for only taking in a 'minute fraction' of refugees and vowed to campaign for 'policies that welcome' them to the country.

Many at the conference said they volunteered at migrant camps in Calais. Christine Blower, general secretary of the NUT said: 'Schools and teachers play a key role in welcoming migrant:undefined: to this country... The NUT condemns the Government's inadequate response to the current migrant situation... The NUT has produced a guide to Welcoming Refugee Children to your School... The NUT will continue to work with Show Racism the Red Card, Hope Not Hate and others, to campaign for Government policies that welcome migrants and refugees to this country. The NUT will also continue to press for anti-racism work to be enshrined within the curriculum of all schools.'

Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: 'Teachers should not be playing the role of fifth columnists in the ideological war currently being fought over our national identity and our national sovereignty. Teaching children that British values are part of "cultural supremacism" will, at best, make them feel guilty about being British and, at worst, radicalise them in order to 'make up' for the sins of their fathers. If one wishes to destroy a nation and build a "brave new world" you begin by indoctrinating and brainwashing the children. This process of 're-education' has started some years ago in our schools and we are, now, seeing its consequences in the suppression of free speech on our university campuses. The notion of 'value relativism' - that all views are equally valid - has reached saturation point in our schools. In many classrooms this has led to the views of terrorists being given equal weigh to those of the victim of terrorism.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3512619/Teachers-want-stop-promoting-British-values-cultural-supremacy-fears.html#comments

Anyone else worried about the ridiculous political bias of teachers?


i wondered why my boarding house started promoting British values -.-
Original post by caravaggio2
I have met several NUT reps . Never met one that wasnt a rectum.


LOL NUT
Original post by Mathemagicien
Please don't quote the whole OP :frown:

It makes me sad


oh... i'm sorry :colonhash:
Original post by Mathemagicien
The National Union of Teachers (NUT) said telling children about the country's democracy, law and traditions could encourage 'cultural supremacy' and urged a new focus on 'international human rights' instead. Union leaders said the the term 'British values' was demeaning to other cultures 'particularly in the context of multicultural schools and the wider picture of migration'.

Christopher Denson, an NUT representative: 'We need to fight to reject this notion of British values, to fight for notions of human values and human rights. We have to stand together across communities to bring down barriers, bring down borders, to say no to Islamophobia, no to anti-Semitism, no to fascism and any form of racism.'

Mr Denson said he disliked using the term 'fundamental British values' in his classroom when many of his pupils had ancestry in countries which had encountered British colonialism. He said: 'The inherent cultural supremacism in that term is both unnecessary and unacceptable. And seen with the Prevent agenda, it belies the most thinly veiled racism and a conscious effort to divide communities.' He added: 'It's our duty to push real anti-racist work in all schools.'He said he had requested a week of themed assemblies every year in his school, with topics including apartheid and the rise of Islamophobia.'This year we focussed on the migrant crisis,' he added. 'We organised a politics day for Year 8s... ...Apart from the quality of the work, the other thing that really made my proud was that every single tutor group had as a policy, 'refugees welcome, open the borders', We need to be pushing at every level for anti-racism to be in the core curriculum.'

The NUT passed a motion that criticised the government for only taking in a 'minute fraction' of refugees and vowed to campaign for 'policies that welcome' them to the country.

Many at the conference said they volunteered at migrant camps in Calais. Christine Blower, general secretary of the NUT said: 'Schools and teachers play a key role in welcoming migrant:undefined: to this country... The NUT condemns the Government's inadequate response to the current migrant situation... The NUT has produced a guide to Welcoming Refugee Children to your School... The NUT will continue to work with Show Racism the Red Card, Hope Not Hate and others, to campaign for Government policies that welcome migrants and refugees to this country. The NUT will also continue to press for anti-racism work to be enshrined within the curriculum of all schools.'

Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: 'Teachers should not be playing the role of fifth columnists in the ideological war currently being fought over our national identity... Teaching children that British values are part of "cultural supremacism" will, at best, make them feel guilty about being British and, at worst, radicalise them in order to 'make up' for the sins of their fathers. If one wishes to destroy a nation and build a "brave new world" you begin by indoctrinating and brainwashing the children. This process of 're-education' has started some years ago in our schools and we are, now, seeing its consequences in the suppression of free speech on our university campuses. The notion of 'value relativism' - that all views are equally valid - has [resulted, in] many classrooms, [in] the views of terrorists being given equal weigh to those of the victim of terrorism.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3512619/Teachers-want-stop-promoting-British-values-cultural-supremacy-fears.html#comments

Anyone else worried about the ridiculous political bias of teachers?


It's a disgrace we have British values forced on kids, especially schools with diverse populations. We need to promote the values of rising communities like the Pakistani community or general Islamic community. True multi cultural societies do not promote a uni cultural bias.

These "British values" have no place in society anymore. We not in the time of the empire anymore
(edited 8 years ago)
Mr Denson and his ilk are slime. I see that he's also a member of the 'let them all in brigade' - these people shouldn't be allowed anywhere near children. They say they are against indoctrination of children, but they are just as bad, and promote a different type of indoctrination.

I do wish that Mr Denson teaches what the government decides should be taught. It's certainly not perfect, but it's better than allowing these unelected people to decide what our children should be taught.
Reply 9
What are "British values" anyway?
How do they differ from, let say, German or Polish or Portugese values?
Reply 10
Original post by simon_g
What are "British values" anyway?
How do they differ from, let say, German or Polish or Portugese values?


Democracy, freedom of speech, fair play etc. They aren't nessecarily different, they are values found in Britain that are important to its social and political make up.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Someone tell me what is 'wrong' with what they said???
Reply 12
The fact is that British values and British culture, as part of a wider European culture, are superior to many others, and it's absolute barbarity to carry the pretence that all cultures and values are the same.

Original post by simon_g
What are "British values" anyway?
How do they differ from, let say, German or Polish or Portugese values?


I'm just going to repost a comment of mine on a similar post.

"I don't think any civilised person is proud of being born in a specific country. It's much harder to explain the feeling you have for being glad and appreciative you have been born into a tolerant, civil society that pursues enlightened principles such as the advance of technology or the improvement of the welfare of its citizens. It's perfectly reasonable to want to defend the aspects of your country or society that have produced yourself and the people you care about.

Many practices may no longer be unique to Britain but this is certainly their place of origin.

Parliamentary Democracy
Freedom of the press
The sharing of knowledge through the publishing of scientific journals
The formation of modern charitable organisations
The use of Common Law

Britain is a tolerant country and over the decades many groups such Afro-Caribbean people, Hindus, Sikhs and Chinese people have integrated into society.

There are national characteristics such as our good natured self depreciation and witty and sarcastic humour that isn't found elsewhere. Maybe your football hooligan doesn't have much manners but people at large are polite.

We are a nation of Dog walkers and lovers, a relic of our ancestors who bred countless dog breeds during the Victorian era.

I'm trying to stay away from political issues but there are plenty more to be found. I think to say that there are no 'British values' requires a significant and intentional blindness.

British values spurred on the Industrial Revolution, the end of Slavery, the formation of the first global economic system, the end of child labour and many other key events that without the world would be a much harsher and desolate place to live. These events could not have happened without widespread public support of the British people, our ancestors."
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Multiculturalism
Someone tell me what is 'wrong' with what they said???


The things that Mr Denson objects to, like the teachings on democracy, the law, our rights, are built into the bedrock of our society. Without teaching these things, how will you ever hope to be a proper citizen of this country.

What he says also contain some dangerous lies. I see that he gets very close to confounding being against taking in refugees with racism.
I find your misrepresentation and demonisation of teachers absolutely vile. You have completely distorted and politicised their argument and clearly do not understand how this scheme has been implemented. The implementation of this 'Prevent' scheme has been a joke. Nobody even knows what "British values" is supposed to mean in the first place, there has been practically no guidance given to teachers on how they're supposed to be promoting "British values" and above all, teachers know how to do their job better than bureaucrats in government who haven't had any experience of teaching in their lives. Teachers are already trained in safeguarding, the only thing this new policy has done is introduced a culture of suspicion as this article shows (by the way, I can't believe that you have the audacity to tell teachers that they have a "ridiculous political bias" and then use that excuse of journalism from the Daily Mail to support your point).

Teachers are, generally speaking, brilliant at their jobs. This top-down intervention from government over the past few years has ruined the teaching profession. The environment that teachers have to deal with in state schools these days is toxic, the amount of bureaucracy they're having to deal with is dangerously infringing their ability to do what their job is supposed to entail - teaching. And yet, despite these conditions, teachers continue to deal with low pay and disgraceful working conditions because they care about what they do. And yet people like you feel you have the right to attack them yet again for caring about the welfare of children, under the banner of "they're all a bunch of crazy lefties". It sickens me.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Plagioclase
x


Ok so I have some objections to this.

The first is that nobody has mentioned the 'Prevent' scheme. Could you then please describe how exactly teachers have had their arguments 'completely distorted'. My comments. and those of others in this thread, are a reaction to the words of Mr Denson, which I don't believe you are disputing.

The second...you say

'Nobody even knows what "British values" is supposed to mean in the first place, there has been practically no guidance given to teachers on how they're supposed to be promoting "British values" and above all, teachers know how to do their job better than bureaucrats in government who haven't had any experience of teaching in their lives'

I can accept there may have been no guidance. In which case, it is perfectly acceptable to be politically neutral and not decide to teach these things.

The objections of myself and others is that teachers' have gone the other way, and are teaching students things which some people consider unacceptable. I can accept issues of safeguarding, and letting teachers do their jobs, but this does not explain the words and actions of people like Mr Denson.

Finally, let me remind you those people in government, while not having much experience in teaching, have been elected. We are seriously tampering when we allow unelected officials to decide what should/shouldn't be taught.
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 16
Nothing that is vomited from the mouths of the NUT ever surprises me.
European values are vastly superior to non-white values
Original post by Mathemagicien
Did the teachers not choose the NUT representatives who said the above things I have quoted? Distorted? I have cherry picked some interesting quotes, but not taken out of context. Politicised their argument? Yes. So what? Unlike a teacher, I should be free to politicise what I like, unlike teachers who, as figures of authority, should not politicise issues such as the migrant crisis, at least in the classroom. Then how do they know it is a form of colonialism, if they argue that there is no such thing as British values? I don't doubt this - nobody is suggesting we replace teachers with politicians. However, teachers should not be free to aggressively promote their personal political views to children, as they hold positions of authority. They have a ridiculous political bias because they are unfairly promoting it to the vulnerable minds of young children


My problem isn't with what the NUT representatives are saying, it's with the journalism. I agree entirely with the quotes you've picked out but that is definitely not the only reason why these regulations are absolutely appalling. Of course though, the Daily Mail isn't covering any of this because it doesn't suit their anti-teacher narrative.

Teachers are not politicising any of these issues, I have absolutely no idea where you got that idea from. These issues have absolutely nothing to do with what most teachers teach. If you've got some mental image of teachers sitting their classes down and indoctrinating them with pro-multiculturalism propaganda rather than teaching a physics class then I think you need to tone down the hysteria and remember what it was like actually being a student, because that's absolute nonsense.

Teachers do not "aggressively promote their personal political views to children", that is an utterly ludicrous accusation.
Uh, what? Hello! This is Britain!

Do they want us to teach kids the middle age values of countries such as Saudi Arabia?

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