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IMPORTANT // Please look after your loved ones, yourself and be kind to others. If you are feeling that the world is too hard to handle there is always help - I implore you not to hesitate in contacting one of these wonderful organisations Lifeline and Beyond Blue ... and I'm sure reaching out to our PRE community we will find a way to help. T.
Political correctness & other nonsensical rubbish
- Thread starter Liverpool
- Start date
evo said:
Its just as bad (as you say). Mao pulled this rubbish, yet the factory workers still had the same crappy lives they had before the revolution, and the power class changed, but had the same perks with a different suit (gone the silks, in with the mao suits).
I always love that most (not all) the people pushing this rubbish have never actually worked in these conditions.
Every day there is some political-correct rubbish I could post but thought this one was worth posting:
Playing at politicking
POLITICAL correctness is coming to a kindergarten near you. The "three Rs" are now reconciliation, race and restitution.
Eradicating outdated golliwog dolls 20 years ago was one thing.
But current attempts to force the pre-school to become political are out of control.
Don't be surprised if your kid comes home from kinder wondering why Jeff Wiggle is always dressed in purple (sexual stereotype, perhaps?) and whether his being allowed to sleep while the other Wiggles play is some form of social exclusion.
A new draft federal government framework for educators, released this month, sets out a manifesto to turn pre-schoolers into political warriors.
Under the plan, the under-5s will be encouraged by teachers and carers to contribute "in a meaningful way" to reconciliation, to challenge bias and discrimination and to take action in unfair situations.
And you thought the biggest challenge you'd face was getting them out of nappies and playing nicely on the swings.
While I welcome an emphasis on equity, reconciliation, diversity and discrimination in early learning, things are clearly going too far.
I want my three-year-old to be confident, happy and outgoing, not spend her days assessing the gender dynamics of home corner and the discriminatory practices of the sandpit.
Early childhood is a time for exploration, fun, play and - dare I say it - ignorance of the big, bad world.
Of course, teachers and carers should address discrimination and unfairness if and when it occurs. If the kids ask why another child in a kinder has "two mummies", then by all means talk about it.
But there's a great difference between sensitively handling situations such as this if and when they arise, and ramming such issues down kids' throats.
The real threat is that kids won't become warriors - they'll become worriers - taking on the weight of their world's social problems on their size three shoulders.
Incredibly, some in the early childhood sector want things to go even further.
Take, for instance, Early Childhood Australia - the national peak body representing staff, which has Governor General Quentin Bryce as its patron.
It wants pre-schoolers to think about living in "the context of Australia post-Apology", to mull over "the survival of the planet threatened as a result of human actions" and to contemplate the "unacceptable chasm between wealth and poverty".
And I thought the depression rates in teenagers was bad enough. Do we really want Prozac in pre-school?
The experts are calling for "childhood educators to move from simplistic notions of 'treating all children the same' to sophisticated understandings about 'unequal treatment' to achieve more equitable outcomes".
But why can't we treat children that age the same? Why can't we focus on commonality rather than difference all the time? The real danger is creating divisions between kids of which they themselves aren't even aware.
Sally with two mums used to be just Sally. Now she is the by-product of an anti-patriarchal act of gender self-expression.
Zac with the black mum and the white dad used to just be Zac. Suddenly he becomes the living manifestation of the redress of the racial imbalance that defined the early history of our nation.
Come on. Get real.
Sure, teachers should act so that there's equal outcomes and ensure that poor kids or kids with disabilities or kids who can't speak English have the same chances to play and learn as any others.
But why do they need to make three-year-olds political activists in the process?
In any case, most pre-schoolers struggle to apologise to each other when naughty, so might not fully appreciate the political symbolism of "Post-Apology" Australia.
But, ultimately, what really gets me angry about this desire to impose politics on childhood is that we can't even sort this stuff out in the adult world.
We still live in a world of discrimination, sexism, homophobia, and haves and have-nots. Why would we burden out kids with it?
In the end, the document for educators takes 111 pages to conclude there's no "single right way" to teach early childhood, canvassing a range of theoretical approaches so broad as to be totally meaningless.
And the Government is spending $700,000 of your money coming to this conclusion. Great.
In a sector where there's a dire shortage of teachers and childcare places, and of early integration aides for disabled and special needs kids, and not enough kinder places for three-year-olds, it's hardly money well spent.
Perhaps, instead of spending all our time and energy trying to teach our kids how bad things are, we should put more effort into making things fairer.
If we did that, we wouldn't need to burden our kids with what are essentially our problems.
And maybe then our kids could actually enjoy their brief childhoods.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25330013-5000117,00.html
Playing at politicking
POLITICAL correctness is coming to a kindergarten near you. The "three Rs" are now reconciliation, race and restitution.
Eradicating outdated golliwog dolls 20 years ago was one thing.
But current attempts to force the pre-school to become political are out of control.
Don't be surprised if your kid comes home from kinder wondering why Jeff Wiggle is always dressed in purple (sexual stereotype, perhaps?) and whether his being allowed to sleep while the other Wiggles play is some form of social exclusion.
A new draft federal government framework for educators, released this month, sets out a manifesto to turn pre-schoolers into political warriors.
Under the plan, the under-5s will be encouraged by teachers and carers to contribute "in a meaningful way" to reconciliation, to challenge bias and discrimination and to take action in unfair situations.
And you thought the biggest challenge you'd face was getting them out of nappies and playing nicely on the swings.
While I welcome an emphasis on equity, reconciliation, diversity and discrimination in early learning, things are clearly going too far.
I want my three-year-old to be confident, happy and outgoing, not spend her days assessing the gender dynamics of home corner and the discriminatory practices of the sandpit.
Early childhood is a time for exploration, fun, play and - dare I say it - ignorance of the big, bad world.
Of course, teachers and carers should address discrimination and unfairness if and when it occurs. If the kids ask why another child in a kinder has "two mummies", then by all means talk about it.
But there's a great difference between sensitively handling situations such as this if and when they arise, and ramming such issues down kids' throats.
The real threat is that kids won't become warriors - they'll become worriers - taking on the weight of their world's social problems on their size three shoulders.
Incredibly, some in the early childhood sector want things to go even further.
Take, for instance, Early Childhood Australia - the national peak body representing staff, which has Governor General Quentin Bryce as its patron.
It wants pre-schoolers to think about living in "the context of Australia post-Apology", to mull over "the survival of the planet threatened as a result of human actions" and to contemplate the "unacceptable chasm between wealth and poverty".
And I thought the depression rates in teenagers was bad enough. Do we really want Prozac in pre-school?
The experts are calling for "childhood educators to move from simplistic notions of 'treating all children the same' to sophisticated understandings about 'unequal treatment' to achieve more equitable outcomes".
But why can't we treat children that age the same? Why can't we focus on commonality rather than difference all the time? The real danger is creating divisions between kids of which they themselves aren't even aware.
Sally with two mums used to be just Sally. Now she is the by-product of an anti-patriarchal act of gender self-expression.
Zac with the black mum and the white dad used to just be Zac. Suddenly he becomes the living manifestation of the redress of the racial imbalance that defined the early history of our nation.
Come on. Get real.
Sure, teachers should act so that there's equal outcomes and ensure that poor kids or kids with disabilities or kids who can't speak English have the same chances to play and learn as any others.
But why do they need to make three-year-olds political activists in the process?
In any case, most pre-schoolers struggle to apologise to each other when naughty, so might not fully appreciate the political symbolism of "Post-Apology" Australia.
But, ultimately, what really gets me angry about this desire to impose politics on childhood is that we can't even sort this stuff out in the adult world.
We still live in a world of discrimination, sexism, homophobia, and haves and have-nots. Why would we burden out kids with it?
In the end, the document for educators takes 111 pages to conclude there's no "single right way" to teach early childhood, canvassing a range of theoretical approaches so broad as to be totally meaningless.
And the Government is spending $700,000 of your money coming to this conclusion. Great.
In a sector where there's a dire shortage of teachers and childcare places, and of early integration aides for disabled and special needs kids, and not enough kinder places for three-year-olds, it's hardly money well spent.
Perhaps, instead of spending all our time and energy trying to teach our kids how bad things are, we should put more effort into making things fairer.
If we did that, we wouldn't need to burden our kids with what are essentially our problems.
And maybe then our kids could actually enjoy their brief childhoods.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25330013-5000117,00.html
:PC gone mad
Have recently been informed that we teachers (at least here in the UK) are not meant to use the term 'Brain Storm' when trying to get a lot of ideas from a class, as it could be deemed offensive to those suffering certain mental disorders.
This follows warnings years ago about not using the term Blackboard, as it could also be deemed offensive.
Has the world gone mad? (Apologies for my use of the term 'mad' just now. I had a brain freeze, sorry...)
Discuss
Have recently been informed that we teachers (at least here in the UK) are not meant to use the term 'Brain Storm' when trying to get a lot of ideas from a class, as it could be deemed offensive to those suffering certain mental disorders.
This follows warnings years ago about not using the term Blackboard, as it could also be deemed offensive.
Has the world gone mad? (Apologies for my use of the term 'mad' just now. I had a brain freeze, sorry...)
Discuss
:clapping :clapping :clapping :duh :duh
School bans clapping and allows students ‘silent cheers’ or air punching but only when teachers agree
CLAPPING has been banned at a Sydney primary school which has introduced “silent cheering”, “pulling excited faces” and “punching the air” to respect students who are “sensitive to noise”.
The school now only allows its pupils “to conduct a silent cheer” when prompted by teachers and says the practice “reduces fidgeting”.
Elanora Heights Public School, which is on Sydney’s northern beaches, announced its new “silent cheer” policy in its latest school newsletter.
The latest example of a political correctness outbreak in Australian schools, which have banned hugging, singing Christmas carols, celebrating Australia Day and singing the word “black” in the nursery rhyme “baa baa black sheep”.
The ban on clapping at Elanora Heights Primary School emerged on the same day that an exclusive girls school banned teachers from calling “ladies” or “women” in favour of “gender-neutral” terms.
In its July 18 newsletter, the Elanora school has published an item under the headline “Did you know” that “our school has adopted silent cheers at assembly’s” (sic).
“If you’ve been to a school assembly recently, you may have noticed our students doing silent cheers,” the item reads.
“Instead of clapping, the students are free to punch the air, pull excited faces and wriggle about on the spot.
“The practice has been adopted to respect members of our school community who are sensitive to noise.
“When you attend an assembly, teachers will prompt the audience to conduct a silent cheer if it is needed.
“Teachers have also found the silent cheers to be a great way to expend children’s energy and reduce fidgeting.”
The ban follows a direction at exclusive Cheltenham Girls High School in northwest Sydney for teachers to avoid discrimination and support LGBTI students by avoiding the words “girls”, “ladies” or “women”.
The measure followed the introduction of the Safe Schools anti-bullying program and teachers were told at a meeting if they did not comply they could be deemed homophobic and breaking the law.
The school also has a “Queer-Straight alliance” club and holds gender equality events such as Wear it Purple Day
Last month, it lowered the Aboriginal flag to raise the rainbow flag at half-mast following the attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
Local MP Damien Tudehope told the Daily Telegraph that parents feared their daughters might be ostracised if they didn’t comply with Rainbow Day and Purple Day.
Elanora Heights Public School’s ban on clapping in favour of silent cheering comes after several schools have banned hugging.
In April, hugging was banned at a Geelong primary school and children were told to find other ways to show affection.
St Patricks Primary School principal John Grant said “nothing in particular” had caused hugging to be replaced by high fiving or “a knuckle handshake”.
“But in this current day and age we are really conscious about protecting kids and teaching them from a young age that you have to be cautious,” Mr Grant said.
He said he had spoken to teachers about his decision to ban hugging and then the teachers had spoken to classes, instructing the children on different methods of showing affection. He had not sent any correspondence home to parents but said there would now be a letter going home on Monday.
“There’s a range of methods including a high five or a particular knuckle handshake where they clunk knuckles as a simple way of saying ‘well done’,” Mr Grant said.
“There are also verbal affirmations and acknowledgments.”
Children at the school have been enthusiastic huggers, he said, with hugs given out to teachers and other children.
“We have a lot of kids who walk up and hug each other and we’re trying to encourage all of us to respect personal space,” Mr Grant said. “It really comes back to not everyone is comfortable in being hugged.”
Comment from Elanora Heights Public School about the clapping ban has been sought by news.com.au.
School bans clapping and allows students ‘silent cheers’ or air punching but only when teachers agree
CLAPPING has been banned at a Sydney primary school which has introduced “silent cheering”, “pulling excited faces” and “punching the air” to respect students who are “sensitive to noise”.
The school now only allows its pupils “to conduct a silent cheer” when prompted by teachers and says the practice “reduces fidgeting”.
Elanora Heights Public School, which is on Sydney’s northern beaches, announced its new “silent cheer” policy in its latest school newsletter.
The latest example of a political correctness outbreak in Australian schools, which have banned hugging, singing Christmas carols, celebrating Australia Day and singing the word “black” in the nursery rhyme “baa baa black sheep”.
The ban on clapping at Elanora Heights Primary School emerged on the same day that an exclusive girls school banned teachers from calling “ladies” or “women” in favour of “gender-neutral” terms.
In its July 18 newsletter, the Elanora school has published an item under the headline “Did you know” that “our school has adopted silent cheers at assembly’s” (sic).
“If you’ve been to a school assembly recently, you may have noticed our students doing silent cheers,” the item reads.
“Instead of clapping, the students are free to punch the air, pull excited faces and wriggle about on the spot.
“The practice has been adopted to respect members of our school community who are sensitive to noise.
“When you attend an assembly, teachers will prompt the audience to conduct a silent cheer if it is needed.
“Teachers have also found the silent cheers to be a great way to expend children’s energy and reduce fidgeting.”
The ban follows a direction at exclusive Cheltenham Girls High School in northwest Sydney for teachers to avoid discrimination and support LGBTI students by avoiding the words “girls”, “ladies” or “women”.
The measure followed the introduction of the Safe Schools anti-bullying program and teachers were told at a meeting if they did not comply they could be deemed homophobic and breaking the law.
The school also has a “Queer-Straight alliance” club and holds gender equality events such as Wear it Purple Day
Last month, it lowered the Aboriginal flag to raise the rainbow flag at half-mast following the attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
Local MP Damien Tudehope told the Daily Telegraph that parents feared their daughters might be ostracised if they didn’t comply with Rainbow Day and Purple Day.
Elanora Heights Public School’s ban on clapping in favour of silent cheering comes after several schools have banned hugging.
In April, hugging was banned at a Geelong primary school and children were told to find other ways to show affection.
St Patricks Primary School principal John Grant said “nothing in particular” had caused hugging to be replaced by high fiving or “a knuckle handshake”.
“But in this current day and age we are really conscious about protecting kids and teaching them from a young age that you have to be cautious,” Mr Grant said.
He said he had spoken to teachers about his decision to ban hugging and then the teachers had spoken to classes, instructing the children on different methods of showing affection. He had not sent any correspondence home to parents but said there would now be a letter going home on Monday.
“There’s a range of methods including a high five or a particular knuckle handshake where they clunk knuckles as a simple way of saying ‘well done’,” Mr Grant said.
“There are also verbal affirmations and acknowledgments.”
Children at the school have been enthusiastic huggers, he said, with hugs given out to teachers and other children.
“We have a lot of kids who walk up and hug each other and we’re trying to encourage all of us to respect personal space,” Mr Grant said. “It really comes back to not everyone is comfortable in being hugged.”
Comment from Elanora Heights Public School about the clapping ban has been sought by news.com.au.
O'' Rupert's PC Gone Mad Coordinator hit the jackpot on this one. I blame giving blacks the vote myself.
Midsy said:
According to the Guardian this story is false. the school denies it and the Safe School Program does not promote gender neutral language in this way.
Yeah the other day I said hello to someone and they told me off because it had hell in it which is religious. PC brigade gone mad.
Was sitting in a waiting room at a large hospital this week when a news update came on the telly. It was about the woman accused of deliberately driving her car into the water and killing her kids. One bloke piped up "Should shoot the lot of them". The silence was palpable. People focusing on their phones or magazines clearly not comfortable with the comment. Bad taste, his right to express what he feels or political incorrectness?
