Re: OT: Has anyone received this va email?

I didn't receive it, either, but after reading it here I did do some
digging.

The full report, that the email & the news stories appear to be based
on, is available from this page, at this UK Department for Education and
Skills research page:
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/programmeofresearch/projectinformation.cfm?projectId=15174&type=5&resultspage=11

Unfortunately, the report is only available as a PDF file. I don't know
if that will be a problem for the webtv folks or not.

As is usual, the news stories tend to cherry pick "the juicy bits", and
leave the rest out. Its kinda funny, really. I'm sure that there are
people/groups getting all up in arms over this, if they only read the
news articles, when the government's goal appears to be finding ways to
correct the situation.

Here is what the above link says about the study:

"The research looked at the opportunities for, and constraints and
barriers to, effective teaching of emotive and controversial history,
such as the slave trade and historically embedded perceptions of Islam,
across all Key Stages. Effective practice at each key stage is
exemplified through case studies.

The study involved five researchers (one for each of the Key Stages and
one for Post-16) investigating current practice in discussion with
teachers, particularly the opportunities for addressing such issues
through school history, and seeking examples of effective practice."

I haven't fully read the entire report yet, it runs 48 pages, but I
skimmed over it.

The gist of it seems to be that, yes, the researchers found that *some*
schools and *some* teachers were avoiding/dropping the subject. But
they go on to identify the causes and give recommendations for changing
the system so that teachers and schools are better prepared/equipped to
deal with controversial subjects.

Cultural differences was just *one* of the causes they identified.
There were others, including, IIRC, lack of resources and inadequate
teacher preparation/training - a lack of in-depth knowledge of the
topics they were teaching - leading to teachers glossing over or
avoiding a topic altogether.

Yet, at least in the couple of articles I read, there was *no* mention
of anything other than the fact that *some* schools were dropping it
because of cultural issues. You know, the juicy bit. The part that
makes headlines & sells papers, or more correctly, advertising.

As Paul Harvey used to say:
"And now you know the rest of the story."

Alex


chsw wrote:
I haven't received it. However, I am aware of the incident
behind it. This happened with several large city school
districts around the UK, but not across the entire country.

Websearch and ye shall find.

chsw



never@million wrote:
I received the following via email. Has anyone of ASMS received it?

Donn

As follows:

In Memoriam

Recently this week, UK removed The Holocaust from its
school curriculum because it "offended" the Moslem population which
claims it never occurred. This is a frightening portent of the
fear that is gripping the world and how easily each country is
giving into it.

It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe
ended.This e-mail is being sent as a memorial chain, in memory of
the six million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians
and 1,900 Catholic priests who were murdered, massacred, raped,
burned, starved and humiliated with the German and Russia peoples
looking the other way!

Now, more than ever, with Iran , among others, claiming the
Holocaust to be"a myth," it is imperative to make sure the world
never forgets. This e-mail is intended to reach 40 million people
worldwide! Join us and be a link in the memorial chain and help us
distribute it around the world.

Please send this e-mail to 10 people you know and ask them to
continue the memorial chain.

Please don't just delete it. It will only take you a minute to
pass this along - Thanks!





.

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