Freedom Of Speech

[maggiebee]

What has happened to it? These were year 6 pupils who will probably have the vote (in Scotland they would have anyway). Are schools not supposed to teach politics as part of the wider curriculum in eg Modern Studies?

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/education-secretary-criticises-nottingham-school-after-pupil-writes-to-pm-demanding-his-resignation-311466/?fbclid=IwAR09zM-XRBi3FOj0c-JmzxCEKM-uTZ9MgaKfq5QoGijMAehflXRWy7Xum_g

[mushroom25]

Maggie, in England, year six pupils range between 9.5 and 11 years. even in Scotland, pupils of that age don't have the vote.

[andy-hughes]

It's utter stupidity like this that undermines the reputation of teachers everywhere.

No-one needs to fuel the endless and inaccurate fire that the media stoke up, that teachers are all Left-Wing mind-controllers polluting the brains of their pupils.

Successive governments have done wonders in undermining the status and respect of teachers over generations, and now some idiot plays into their hands with this utterly facile stunt.

I despair.

[dannyk13]

Maggie // Are schools not supposed to teach politics as part of the wider curriculum in eg Modern Studies?//
Yes,but not from a biased point of view as this obviously was.There are too many left wing teachers who bring their ideology into the classroom.

[Peter Pedant]

note they have used headed paper
which carried a weak implication that the school has put them up to it.

[naomi24]

I was watching a discussion on this earlier. If politics is taught it is supposed to be from a neutral viewpoint. This wasn’t.

[Peter Pedant]

marxist mind controllers.... ?

am I the only ex pupil to know/suspect Mrs smiggins who was teaching us wasnt quite pukka ?

Of my teachers ( one became a respected theologian - no two no, one - one was respected before - no three) one is in prison, one was fired for not having a degree - we knew years before. Another one er gave a pupil a baby. Oh one left his wife and ran off to Tristan da Cunha. Oh and one moved off to be a lecturer at a Uni

no nobel laureates - few internationals

[Peter Pedant]

yes and my brother is as crazy as hell but we think it is genetic and not his teachers

[Gromit]

The 11 year olds received abusive tweets, and the post had to be removed.

Says it all about modern Britain.

[ToraToraTora]

"These were year 6 pupils who will probably have the vote " - they can vote at 11 in Scotland?
i see they picked a convicted terrorist as one of their role models. Just another naive saucepan being used by a lefty teacher. Nothng to see here. No different to this one:
https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1784174.html

[ToraToraTora]

AH: "No-one needs to fuel the endless and inaccurate fire that the media stoke up, that teachers are all Left-Wing mind-controllers polluting the brains of their pupils. " - yep, he's not really helped that perception has he!

[maggiebee]

Obviously described differently in Scotland and England. 11 year olds would be in Primary 7 in Scotland. Year 6 pupils (6th year) would be 16/17 year olds.

[ToraToraTora]

you ask about freedom of speech. they have it and used it. Freedom of speech does not mean immunity from response.

[Gromit]

The report and the school letterhead indicate it was a Primary school (up to 11 year olds).

Perhaps some of these pupils could be encouraged to post here, their efforts are far better argued than most posts on AB.

// they picked a convicted terrorist as one of their role models //
I assume you mean Nelson Mandella.

[Gromit]

David Davies and John Major have told the PM - ‘in the name of God, Go!’

Perhaps Nadhim Zahawi should criticise his Conservative colleagues first before criticising a school and its pupils.

[naomi24]

No, Gromit, smokescreens won’t work. This teacher was wrong - and it’s absolutely right that it’s addressed.

[Gromit]

// This teacher was wrong - and it’s absolutely right that it’s addressed //

// Rebecca Gittins, headteacher at Welbeck Primary School, said: “As part of a democracy topic, the Year Six class has been looking closely at national politics, our leaders and decision-makers, while discussing fact and opinion.

“There is no ‘teaching’ of politics. We explain processes and structure, with the children encouraged to express their thoughts.

“Year Six pupils watched recent coverage on Newsround about Downing Street and some of them asked to write to their local MP to share their views.

“This lesson was linked to the English curriculum where children constructed letters using their skills to form arguments, assess evidence and develop their critical thinking. //

[Mamyalynne]

We are only shown one letter - did all the rest say 'Marvellous Mr Johnson, did you have jelly?'

[Gromit]

mamyalynne

;-)