It is common, in the city, at this
time of year, to see schoolchildren of mixed racial heritages being shepherded
along the street on their end-of-term outings. But the one I saw yesterday
caught my attention because there was only one white child among them – and both
teachers wore hijabs. This got me reminiscing about my own primary school,
where the full extent of diversity was the separation of the two religions, Catholic
and Protestant, for R.E. lessons. Our society is certainly evolving, but is our
education system keeping pace? As an education outsider, I cannot claim to know
much beyond what is apparent to all –
that politicians keep tinkering with it according to whatever is their
ideological bent – though I know there has been at least one important addition
to the curriculum since I was at school and that is the introduction, in 2001,
of lessons in citizenship – which includes politics.
The teaching of politics is long
overdue. Consistently low turnouts at the polls indicate lack of appetite, poor
understanding, or both – which is lamentable, considering that the issues at
stake are crucial to everyone’s well-being. To some extent I suspect that those
in power are inclined to protect their positions by keeping the rest of us in
ignorance of their machinations and that one way they do this is to ensure that
‘education’ is about learning stuff that reinforces the status quo rather than
questioning its legitimacy. I came late to an understanding of and engagement
with politics and I put this down to a lack of stimulus at school and at home,
where the emphasis was on passing exams in order to become fodder for the jobs
market. But jobs are not what they used to be, and the evolution of society
requires expansive not regressive thinking. Can our schools provide it? One of
our most influential liberal thinkers, John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), was
educated at home, not within the system, and he was taught never to take
anything at face value without questioning and scrutiny. By this means, he
advanced causes, such as female suffrage, long before they had entered the
public consciousness. Many years later, others advocated shunning education by
rote: “Just think of the tragedy of teaching children not to doubt.” *
Lately, I have become infuriated with
the paucity of debate around even the biggest geopolitical issues – such as
Brexit, for example – where arguments have been reduced to slogans and MPs have
adopted positions based on contorted logic in order to protect their prospects
for re-election. A more analytical approach to actual policies and issues might
lead to an outcome that brings populations and nations closer rather than
fragmenting them with jingoism, xenophobia and chauvinism. But politicians have
learned that argument is a way to bore or befuddle electorates – especially if
they are ignorant – and that the easy route to election is to campaign with slogan-based
soundbites and photo-ops. In this, Boris Johnson has learned well from Donald
Trump.
But my ranting at the TV, radio, and newspapers
is to no avail when swathes of fellow citizens are necessarily preoccupied with
making a living, while remaining uncomprehending of the ways in which economies
are controlled – and to whose advantage. School budgets are being squeezed –
right now – to the detriment of children’s future prospects, while very rich
individuals and global corporations avoid paying taxes by every means they can
dream up. But my complaint is nothing new: “The tax which
will be paid for the purpose of education is not more than the thousandth part
of what will be paid to kings, priests, and nobles who will rise up among us if
we leave the people in ignorance.” (Thomas Jefferson, third US president). I just
hope the schoolkids on their outing get to see the big picture one day.
* Clarence
Darrow, lawyer and author (18 Apr 1857-1938)
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