Children and Politics

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.

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.

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.

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.

*enormous number of

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”

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.’

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?

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

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.
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Freedom of speech gone mad---like everything else.

Grandad1943 - It's in all the papers not just the Daily Mail so check your facts before posting.
If that is their best example of a successful old boy then heaven help them. What kind of school is that.

Well, if this artical is in the Daily Mail then every single word must be the absolute truth. ?

Sounds more like to me that this is a successful old boy who has been invited back to the school and was having a joke and a lark about with the kids when he was addressing them.

My company is often invited into schools and colleges when they are studying Britains industrial history. As we are always speaking on the terrible industrial injuries that went along with that history we always have a policy of "keep it light" and when possible humourous.

Often a difficult balance to try and achieve, but possible if you think it through thoroughly.

Judging by those lyrics he is not a decent role model for young people, especially that young. It's very sad that young children are being exposed to such vile content. When I was that age we listened to Sparky's Magic Piano and Nellie the Elephant.

well trisher he seemed quite happy to lie about swearing, or knowing bad words.

That's obviously how he got his goons.

So if you invite a successful ex-pupil back to talk to the children and they ask him questions is he supposed to lie? It seems to me an excellent idea that might help some youngsters realise they csn be successful. I loved his answer to a question about how he became successful. "Worked hard at something I love"

And here:
www.theguardian.com/music/2019/dec/18/piers-morgan-attacks-stormzy-telling-schoolkids-pm-is-bad-man

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/12/19/stormzy-piers-morgan-row-boris-johnson-comments/

Grandad google is your friend, just Stormzy and school generated this article and youtube video.
www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7805051/Stormzy-visits-former-primary-school-seven-year-olds-grill-star-bad-language.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailUK&__twitter_impression=true&__twitter_impression=true&__twitter_impression=true

In a family where all topics are discussed, even with 8-year-olds, political opinion is bound to come into it. I agree with Chestnut that various points of view should be covered.

Random people going into schools are different. When my son was at school in the 1980s an MP gave an anti-abortion talk. This was not a catholic or religious school. I was pretty appalled, but my son was about 16 so capable of working out the arguments for and against. All the same, it shouldn’t have happened.

Perhaps Stormzy could take an English class. His command of our language looks impressive!
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