Oh yeah, it's 'Straya Day

[darren_stranger]

Just a thought that i've been meaning to jot down for further consideration:

As i commented the other day on cnwb's journal, this daft idea of pushing "Australian Values" in schools could actually have an upside. 

The way i look at it, if words like "Australian Values" can make teaching kids about things like tolerance and a 'fair go' palatable to the sort of people who would otherwise complain that schools should stick to the "Three Rs" and not pinko poofo idealism, then it could be of some use.

Of course, if it ends up coming down to pushing some notion that loving cricket and using the word 'mateship' a lot while trying to imitate American style flag-worship makes you a better person, then screw that. But if it actually has some content, maybe it could be a way of using patriotic rhetoric for niceness instead of stupidity.

Comments

[cat-a-pillargal.livejournal.com]

Latest thing I saw was Howard wanting to change what's taught in history to focus more on dates (eg. Battle of Hastings, Cook sighting Australia etc.) rather than analysis. Why can't they leave particular disciplines like history and English to those who are qualified to teach it rather than trying to impose this 1950s vision of education on everyone.

[strang-er.livejournal.com]

It seems a bad sign when our political leaders want to discourage children from being taught to look at things analytically.

[damien-wise.livejournal.com]

I wore my "un-Australian" t-shirt today.
Got a few comments. :)
Why did I print the t-shirt and why do I wear it in public? I must be un-Australian; John Howard said so...I stand for or align myself with pretty-much everything he's so keen as judge un-Australian.

[strang-er.livejournal.com]

I'm just waiting to hear Mr Howrd explain the taking a sickie is now unAustralian.