|
 LeftyBurnz
Mr. I Eat Butthole
 
Registered: 06/21/05
Posts: 23,286
Loc: The Wang
|
 Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history 
#8151360 - 03/15/08 08:19 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history
By Richard Garner, Education Editor
Friday, 14 March 2008
Britain's biggest teachers' union has accused the Ministry of Defence of breaking the law over a lesson plan drawn up to teach pupils about the Iraq war. The National Union of Teachers claims it breaches the 1996 Education Act, which aims to ensure all political issues are treated in a balanced way.
Teachers will threaten to boycott military involvement in schools at the union's annual conference next weekend, claiming the lesson plan is a "propaganda" exercise and makes no mention of any civilian casualties as a result of the war.
They believe the instructions, designed for use during classroom discussions in general studies or personal, social and health education (PSE) lessons, are arguably an attempt to rewrite the history of the Iraq invasion just as the world prepares to mark its fifth anniversary.
Steve Sinnott, the general secretary of the NUT, said: "This isn't an attack on the military – nothing of the sort. I know they've done valuable work in establishing peace in some countries. It is an attack on practices that we cannot condone in schools. It is a question of whether you present fair and balanced views or put forward prejudice and propaganda to youngsters."
At the heart of the union's concern is a lesson plan commissioned by an organisation called Kids Connections for the Ministry of Defence aimed at stimulating classroom debate about the Iraq war.
In a "Students' Worksheet" which accompanies the lesson plan, it stresses the "reconstruction" of Iraq, noting that 5,000 schools and 20 hospitals have been rebuilt. But there is no mention of civilian casualties.
In the "Teacher Notes" section, it talks about how the "invasion was necessary to allow the opportunity to remove Saddam Hussein" but it fails to mention the lack of United Nations backing for the war. The notes also use the American spelling of "program".
Addressing whether the MoD should be providing materials for schools, Mr Sinnott said that he did not object, as long as the material was accurate, presented responsibly and contained a balanced view of opinions.
The union has protested to the Schools Secretary, Ed Balls, who has referred the complaint to the MoD. In a letter to Mr Balls, Mr Sinnott said: "I have to say that were the MoD pack to be distributed and followed without the legally required 'balanced presentation of opposing views' there would, in my view, be very serious risk of a finding of non-compliance with section 406 (of the 1996 Education Act) at least.
"I do not doubt that there would be many members of this union who would not accept as 'fact' the assertions made particularly in the Teacher Notes, nor, I think, could some of the assertions made in the Student Worksheet be regarded as non-controversial."
Mr Sinnott reminded Mr Balls that a High Court judge had ruled that the film An Inconvenient Truth, by the Oscar-winning former American vice-president Al Gore, could not be used in schools without teachers counteracting some of the assertions made in it.
Mr Balls sought to distance himself from supporting the material.
He said: "I am sure you are aware my department does not promote or endorse specific resources or methods of teaching for use in schools but I appreciate you drawing this to my attention." Mr Balls added that he had instructed his officials "to take this matter up" with the MoD.
A spokesman for the MoD said the ministry had consulted with interested parties over the proposed lesson plan in order to ensure it had the support of the education community. "We did ask the Stop The War coalition to take part although it refused."
The spokesman added that the programme was "a set of web-based resources" whose use was "completely voluntary".
"We have consulted widely with teachers and students during the development of these products and feedback from schools has been extremely encouraging," he added.
"Teachers and students found them to be valuable and fun resources for applied learning.
"They are designed to support teachers in delivering a whole range of subjects across the national curriculum and its equivalents in Scotland and Wales.
"We are happy to engage with the NUT and we will be writing to them."
Union members say they are also worried that armed forces recruitment fairs in schools glamorise the job by citing exotic countries that recruits will visit but fail to mention that they may be required to kill people.
According to an independent assessment of the MoD's recruitment material by the Joseph Rowntree Trust, however, the material concerned was "very dubious". The trust said it had used misleading marketing with advertising campaigns that "glamorise warfare, omit vital information and fail to point out the risks and responsibilities associated with a forces career".
Mr Sinnott said: "On their recruitment material, it tells what an exotic lifestyle this can be, but it doesn't mention that being in the military involves killing people. These things don't feature as they should in a proper, balanced view of what it is like being in the armed forces."
What the MoD's guide says... and what it omits
* "Iraq was invaded early 2003 by a United States coalition. Twenty-nine other countries, including the UK, also provided troops... Iraq had not abandoned its nuclear and chemical weapons development program". After the first Gulf War, "Iraq did not honour the cease-fire agreement by surrendering weapons of mass destruction..."
The reality: The WMD allegation, central to the case for war, proved to be bogus. David Kay, appointed by the Bush administration to search for such weapons after the invasion, found no evidence of a serious programme or stockpiling of WMDs. The "coalition of the willing" was the rather grand title of a rag-tag group of countries which included Eritrea, El Salvador and Macedonia.
* "The invasion was also necessary to allow the opportunity to remove Saddam, an oppressive dictator, from power, and bring democracy to Iraq".
The reality: Regime change was not the reason given in the run-up to the invasion – the US and UK governments had been advised it would be against international law. Saddam was regarded as an ally of the West while he was carrying out some of the worst of his atrocities. As for democracy, elections were held in Iraq during the occupation and have led to a sectarian Shia government. Attempts by the US to persuade the government to be more inclusive towards minorities have failed.
* "Over 7,000 British troops remain in Iraq... to contribute to reconstruction, training Iraqi security forces... They continue to fight against a strong militant Iraqi insurgency."
The reality: The number of British troops in Iraq is now under 5,000. They withdrew from their last base inside Basra city in September and are now confined to the airport where they do not take part in direct combat operations.
* "The cost of UK military operations in Iraq for 2005/06 was £958m."
The reality: The cost of military operations in Iraq has risen by 72 per cent in the past 12 months and the estimated cost for this year is £1.648bn. The House of Commons defence committee said it was "surprised" by the amount of money needed considering the slowing down of the tempo of operations.
* "Over 312,000 Iraqi security forces have been trained and equipped (Police, Army and Navy)."
The reality: The Iraqi security forces have been accused, among others by the American military, of running death squads targeting Sunnis. In Basra, the police became heavily infiltrated by Shia militias and British troops had to carry out several operations against them. On one occasion British troops had to smash their way into a police station to rescue two UK special forces soldiers who had been seized by the police.
* "A total of 132 UK military personnel have been killed in Iraq."
The reality: The figure is 175 since the invasion of 2003. A British airman died in a rocket attack at the airport two weeks ago despite British troops not going into Basra city on operations. Conservative estimates of the number of Iraqi civilians killed since the beginning of the invasion stand at around 85,000.
* "From hospitals to schools to wastewater treatment plants, the presence of coalition troops is aiding the reconstruction of post-Saddam Iraq."
The reality: Five years after "liberation", Baghdad still only has a few hours of intermittent power a day. Children are kidnapped from schools for ransom and families of patients undergoing surgery at hospitals are advised to buy and bring in blood from sellers who congregate outside.
--------------------
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in Government."
~Thomas Jefferson
A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.
~George Washington
|
 DeathCompany
Oneironaut
Registered: 03/16/05
Posts: 12,421
Loc: Somewhere in my head
Last seen: 1 day, 1 hour
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: LeftyBurnz]
#8151382 - 03/15/08 08:23 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
thats disgusting but Im not surprised
--------------------
Edited by DeathCompany (03/15/08 08:23 PM)
|
Coaster
Baʿal
Registered: 05/22/06
Posts: 33,501
Loc: Deep in the Valley
Last seen: 7 months, 17 days
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: DeathCompany]
#8151413 - 03/15/08 08:28 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
ok so we want to teach lil iraqi kids about our efforts to help them but we coincidently left out that we killed nearly a million civilians in the process
i didnt read the whole thing but thats the jyst right
--------------------
|
LeftyBurnz
Mr. I Eat Butthole
Registered: 06/21/05
Posts: 23,286
Loc: The Wang
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: DeathCompany]
#8151414 - 03/15/08 08:28 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
wouldnt surprise me if the next issue of american school books are propagandized as well.
--------------------
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in Government."
~Thomas Jefferson
A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.
~George Washington
|
oojijimoo
OouuruguruuoO
Registered: 08/09/07
Posts: 11,753
Loc: ATL GA
Last seen: 2 hours, 27 minutes
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: LeftyBurnz]
#8151426 - 03/15/08 08:30 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Nah, people aren't that dumb.
--------------------
http://soundcloud.com/ufhwhomp like music?
|
spacemonkey69
Stranger
Registered: 08/07/07
Posts: 458
Last seen: 12 days, 19 hours
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: oojijimoo]
#8151452 - 03/15/08 08:34 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
guruu said:
Nah, people aren't that dumb.
we can only hope...
--------------------
"If you take a psychedelic,and aren't afraid you've done too much, you haven't done enough."
 Terence Mckenna
|
LeftyBurnz
Mr. I Eat Butthole
Registered: 06/21/05
Posts: 23,286
Loc: The Wang
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: Coaster]
#8151466 - 03/15/08 08:35 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
Coaster said:
ok so we want to teach lil iraqi kids about our efforts to help them but we coincidently left out that we killed nearly a million civilians in the process
i didnt read the whole thing but thats the jyst right
no, the teachers in the UK are being given "modified" lessons about iraq.
--------------------
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in Government."
~Thomas Jefferson
A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.
~George Washington
|
Prisoner#1
Even Dumber ThanAdvertized!
Registered: 01/22/03
Posts: 152,616
Loc: Pvt. Pubfag NutSuck 
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: LeftyBurnz]
#8151471 - 03/15/08 08:36 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
it says in the US history books that about 6000 injuns dies on
the trail of tears, there were more than 6000 biloxi, the entire
nation of people that were exterminated for their refusal to
leave their homes... they've always been propagana
--------------------
|
Coaster
Baʿal
Registered: 05/22/06
Posts: 33,501
Loc: Deep in the Valley
Last seen: 7 months, 17 days
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: Prisoner#1]
#8151476 - 03/15/08 08:37 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
wow i thought UK was more un-gay than that
but i guess not
--------------------
|
oojijimoo
OouuruguruuoO
Registered: 08/09/07
Posts: 11,753
Loc: ATL GA
Last seen: 2 hours, 27 minutes
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: Prisoner#1]
#8151477 - 03/15/08 08:38 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Yeah but most American history books, to their credit, do accurately describe the atrocities America committed against the indians. At least the one I had did.
--------------------
http://soundcloud.com/ufhwhomp like music?
|
jeverden
Mushroom Hunter
Registered: 05/10/06
Posts: 1,188
Last seen: 1 year, 4 months
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: spacemonkey69]
#8151482 - 03/15/08 08:38 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
spacemonkey69 said:
Quote:
guruu said:
Nah, people aren't that dumb.
we can only hope...
But many are
--------------------
All of my posts are purely fictional and for hypothetical purposes.
|
Prisoner#1
Even Dumber ThanAdvertized!
Registered: 01/22/03
Posts: 152,616
Loc: Pvt. Pubfag NutSuck
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: oojijimoo]
#8151495 - 03/15/08 08:41 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
really, did it say that andrew jackson vowed to exterminate the
indian from the face of the earth, that during his campaign of
terror almost 3 million indians were slaughtered, men, women and
children... did it mention almost 6 million were killed since the
whites settled these lands?
did it mention that the people murdered at wounded knee were unarmend?
--------------------
|
LeftyBurnz
Mr. I Eat Butthole
Registered: 06/21/05
Posts: 23,286
Loc: The Wang
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: oojijimoo]
#8151497 - 03/15/08 08:41 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
guruu said:
Yeah but most American history books, to their credit, do accurately describe the atrocities America committed against the indians. At least the one I had did.
what year were you born in guruu? because the history books i had, vaguely went into it, not even close to the full truth.
--------------------
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in Government."
~Thomas Jefferson
A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.
~George Washington
|
Disco Cat
iS A PoiNdexteR
Registered: 09/15/00
Posts: 2,590
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: LeftyBurnz]
#8151766 - 03/15/08 09:43 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
leftysurprise said:
wouldnt surprise me if the next issue of american school books are propagandized as well.
I'm sure there's already plenty of propaganda in US books, especially concerning US' role in WW2, which is probably why you often hear people say dumb stuff like "if it weren't for us you'd be heil'ing Hitler."
|
Coaster
Baʿal
Registered: 05/22/06
Posts: 33,501
Loc: Deep in the Valley
Last seen: 7 months, 17 days
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: Disco Cat]
#8151775 - 03/15/08 09:46 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
for lefty for bein such a grade A guy
--------------------
|
Baby_Hitler
Anarcho-Technologist
Registered: 03/06/02
Posts: 20,948
Loc: To the limit!
Last seen: 37 minutes, 31 seconds
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: Prisoner#1]
#8151801 - 03/15/08 09:54 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
How do you know that what you were told is accurate?
History is a religion and should not be taught in public schools.
--------------------
|
LeftyBurnz
Mr. I Eat Butthole
Registered: 06/21/05
Posts: 23,286
Loc: The Wang
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: Disco Cat]
#8151813 - 03/15/08 09:57 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
Disco Cat said:
Quote:
leftysurprise said:
wouldnt surprise me if the next issue of american school books are propagandized as well.
I'm sure there's already plenty of propaganda in US books, especially concerning US' role in WW2, which is probably why you often hear people say dumb stuff like "if it weren't for us you'd be heil'ing Hitler."
oh im not disputing the already overwhelming amount of propaganda in our school books, im just saying, wouldnt surprise me to see it about iraq in the new wave of textbooks.
--------------------
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in Government."
~Thomas Jefferson
A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.
~George Washington
|
LeftyBurnz
Mr. I Eat Butthole
Registered: 06/21/05
Posts: 23,286
Loc: The Wang
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: Coaster]
#8151814 - 03/15/08 09:58 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
Coaster said:
for lefty for bein such a grade A guy
--------------------
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in Government."
~Thomas Jefferson
A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.
~George Washington
|
LeftyBurnz
Mr. I Eat Butthole
Registered: 06/21/05
Posts: 23,286
Loc: The Wang
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: Baby_Hitler]
#8151834 - 03/15/08 10:08 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
Baby_Hitler said:
How do you know that what you were told is accurate?
History is a religion and should not be taught in public schools.
i NEVER thought about it that way hitler. i think we should lobby our senators. "NO MORE HISTORY!" 
--------------------
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in Government."
~Thomas Jefferson
A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.
~George Washington
|
Shroomism
I AM
Registered: 02/13/00
Posts: 50,539
Loc: The Void
|
Re: Iraq: teachers told to rewrite history [Re: LeftyBurnz]
#8151964 - 03/15/08 10:49 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
leftysurprise said:
wouldnt surprise me if the next issue of american school books are propagandized as well.
They already are... and have been... for a loooooooooong time.
Most people think the civil war was caused by slavery. And that's just a very mundane example.
--------------------
|
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit 
Reply 
