Children and Politics

Gosh this brought back an amusing (now memory).

When I was in junior school (c.1963 I’m thinking) I was walking home with my younger sister. (Okay, it was only round 2 corners but I felt so grownup!).

Anyway as we approached the ice cream van (we were never allowed after school) there was a huge crowd. Someone called Mr. Churchill was talking. Canvassing for votes and people were queuing for his autograph.

I hadn’t an igloo who he was but joined the queue and proudly presented my autographed piece of paper to mummy when we arrived home. She was cross, said he wasn’t a nice man and threw the precious (to me) paper in the tidy bin.
?

Urmstongran - wow! If only she hadn't. Still, that's very different when your parents indoctrinate you, it will happen to everyone I imagine.

For goodness sake Grandad did you even click on the link I gave that included the youtube video? The DM was the first to come up so I posted that but the Guardian and Telegraph also have it which Chestnut linked to, so does that satisfy you?

When my dc were at school in Scotland the personal opinions of staff were absolutely forbidden in the classroom. They can say ‘Some people think XYZ’ but they are not permitted to say ‘I think XYZ.’

Chestnut, this was a successful old boy having a joke and a lark with the kids while speaking to them at Christmas time.....Lighten up.

I will wish you a Very Merry Christmas, as I have certainly got the Christmas spirit as this is the last day for me in the office until the 5th of January. Although there is little to do already but eat mince pies etc that staff keep bringing in.

A wonderfull time of the year.

Those of you still living in Enid Blyton land where everything is home made cake and ginger beer probably don't realise that 8year olds are familiar with much of what is. being criticised here. They know all the bad words,they probably know about drugs and gangs. Children live very much in the real world and need real role models not someone who will condescend and talk down to them. There will be plenty of worse people around them who behave in much worse ways. Showing them that there is a way you can be 'cool' and achieve is a valuable contribution towards their development.

Nothing wrong with Enid Blyton land. At least it was a happy place, can't say that about the real world. I'm pretty sure my 8 year old grandson doesn't know this individual or anything about drugs and gangs, none of which should be inflicted on primary school children. They will have plenty of time to adjust to the real world when they go to secondary school.
And if there are 'plenty of people around them who behave in much worse ways' then I would want to know what's going on at that primary school!

trisher do you have to be so condescending and patronising? If they all know so much about swearing and drugs etc why did he lie to them about swearing, to the point of saying he never uses the F word, when he clearly does? Remember when XR people were filmed buying stuff from MacDonald's while others of their fellows were closing down a Burger King? You were the one who asked do their critics expect them to expire from hunger and thirst. That truly was lala land given the enormous and varied eateries across the whole of London. Not Enid Blyton but very much make believe.

trisher no idea what 8 year olds you mix with?
I mix with plenty and drugs, swearing and Stormzy lyrics are not common in their age group.

Normally children become aware of these issues on starting senior school, with the elder ones “showing off”

*enormous number of

What amazed me was how knowledgeable the children were about his music and the genre. The children did identify with him.

He was good with them, but his political views should have been dealt with in a far more tactful manner. He probably isn't too experienced with dealing with 7/8 year olds. You can always rely on them to " lower the tone" with bodily functions, given the chance. The staff should have had a quiet word with him before hand.

The children were probably prepped on Stormzy and had their questions all lined up

I have 8 and 10 year old grandsons.

They aren't Famous 5 Types but they are certainly not into grime or gangs

I swore once in front of them and they still talk about it.

Foul mouthed Grandma

(It was a very mild swear word)

What amazed me was how knowledgeable the children were about his music and the genre. The children did identify with him.
That was possibly because he was visiting his old school, but it's still very sad that they knew about these things at such a tender age. I don't feel political opinions, gender issues, drugs and gangs should be taught or discussed at primary school. Not unless any of them are actually an issue at that school and the older children need to be informed.

Sadly many younger children are dragged into helping gangs and live in families where older siblings are involved. I would suspect that these issues are indeed discussed in primary schools.

I remember a boy I taught, cooly walking past a police raid on his house, as he went for the special school bus waiting for him.

The world can be a dangerous one for even small children..........awful to think of.

Of course, if these issues arise then even young children will need to know about them. It is truly awful how our society has changed. It was a different world 60 years ago; I used to travel by bus in London on my own aged 8 years.

I agree it feels unacceptable. But so does the presence of Boris in school classrooms making political capital out of the visit - gosh, if this had happened when any of my children was at school I would have been incandescent with rage!

I agree Luckygirl that no politician should visit schools but they all do it! Still, I'm sure they don't tell the children that their opponents are 'bad, bad people'.

Stormzy earns his living as an entertainer
Boris Johnson is a politician, was previously a journalist who has been sacked for lying .
Stormzy sponsors two young people through university.
Boris Johnson belonged to a university club that smashed up restaurants.
Stormzy visits schools in his own time.
Boris Johnson visits schools to gain votes.

Just who is the better role model?

Anyone writing lyrics like that is no role model!

If you don't discuss drugs, gangs or any of the things children are going to encounter in secondary school at primary school you are effectively sending children out unprepared. The age of many gang members in London is 14. It's unlikely that they were just recruited at that age they will have been aware of what was going on for a long time. Croydon is a suburb of London and inner-city children are often more informed that children from other areas. If you want to know what is going on and how children are being groomed from 7 www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jul/05/children-as-young-as-seven-being-enslaved-by-uk-drug-gangs

Most primary school children are with their parents or another adult at all times, so unlikely to be groomed. I agree children of any age who are on the streets alone need to know what to do if a stranger approaches them for any reason. I can't see how disgusting song lyrics will help them though.

Michael Gove stated UK children should only be taught texts by British writers.

So currently, that means Dickens, champion of the working class and the poor and JB Priestly, socialist. These texts are preset by the exam board (there ARE other choices, but these are less accessible for students).

Previously, we would have taught a far greater range of texts, but would-be-PM Gove (much hated by teachers) was too interested in making a name for himself.

And actually, Enid Blyton was a nazi sympathiser. Not to mention her books were totally white-washed, heteronormative claptrap.

I loved them as a child, but I've looked back at them since and there is no way a child should read them. There are MUCH better writers available for children. If only my parents had been more discerning.

It isn't just inner city children at risk either. I live in the wilds and the school I work at is in a little village. Key county lines fodder. Children need to know reality to be able to understand when they're at risk.

If you loved them then that says it all GagaJo. Did they do you any lasting harm? Or did you enter a world of fantasy and adventure and have a ripping good time? There are lots of people who think Harry Potter is dangerous for young minds as it deals with black magic and evil. Should children be reading about demons and the dark side?