The current state of British Politics

[lil_shepherd]

My flist is full of people being shocked because the BNP won two seats in the European elections.

I am just surprised that they are surprised. What surprises me is that the BNP does not gain more votes, because I meet the people who express BNP-type views (in private) often enough. I also overhear them on the bus and the tube and the train. Do

Comments

[steamshovelmama]

Having moaned about my kids education somewhere downstream, I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised by my son's RE lessons. He's doing *issues*! In his first lessons they covered why people believe in god. Okay it's almost wholly about Christianity but rather than just covering the Bible he's done euthanasia, sex before marriage, abortion and touched on homosexuality. They look at different Christian sect's views on the different issues and then have to discuss their own opinions.

Now, we still have the problems that the exam answers are marked in such a way that the kids are virtually taught a stock answer but they do at least get marks for having to a) have an opinion, b) be able to state it comprehensibly and c) be able to justify it. It's not perfect but it's a start. At least they're being made aware that there are several different ways to think about issues which means you have to engage your brain.

Just don't get me started on what seems to have happened to the rest of the humanities. Especially English Literature which barely exists anymore. In fact I'm teaching it to them at home because so little time is given to any (and none at all to classic) literature.