History Classes in Public Schools In Scotland

[Sheep In Wolf's Clothing]

http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/...ory.3692149.jp
This might warm the hearts of history lovers and our fellow Scottish X-Markers!!
Sara

[pipesndrumsnun]

I'm always in favor of education!!

[James MacMillan]

Good, but sad article. Why must politics enter into education? I know it does, but why?

Thanks for posting this.

[Freedomlover]

Good, but sad article. Why must politics enter into education? I know it does, but why?

One reason is that if you can control, (by omission, alteration, or other means) what is taught then it is an easy matter to reshape the past to suit whatever the current agenda may be. Many of the responses to the article (on the website) say essentially that. More than a few refer to "abysmal ignorance". There has to be an overarching reason for such 'education' that is most content to hide behind the arras. Notice that members of certain other parties do not like the idea of genuine history at all. Gee, I wonder why that is?

[Phil]

What an amazing number of comments. I suppose the Scotsman comments provides a useful outlet for those who have a very large axe to grind. As a schoolboy myself at times in England, Wales and in Scotland I don’t recall any history being taught other than English such as King Canute and Alfred burning cakes and then later British in general and grew up in ignorance that Scotland had its own kings and queens long before this. I do recall being told that fairy story concocted by Walter Scott about Bruce and the spider but really nothing else Scottish until the likes of Robert Owen who created New Lanark and Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations at the time of the Industrial Revolution. We even touched on the American revolution and its Civil war but, sadly, nothing of the distinctive and independent nation that Scotland was and which, unlike England, Wales and Ireland was never occupied by a foreign power. Even the Romans didn’t manage it. Sadly I doubt if many young people are interested in history but it may give them a basis of understanding to build on in later life. (Oh and by the way, public schools in England are exclusive fee-paying establishments)

[thescot]

I have no experience of data beyond the article which would entitle me to an opinion about another country's educational system, but I do know that in the U.S., surveys show similar woeful ignorance of the youth regarding history, geography, and why things are the way they are.

He or she who does not know history is doomed to repeat it. As a history buff (and holder of a degree), our current level of knowledge is very poor, adn our understanding is even worse.

[Arlen]

See, I am not even going to read the article, because I know I'll end up reading the comments and getting frustrated.
I was lucky enough to study mainly Scottish history at school, but my siblings who went to the same school were only ever taught 'British' history.
Here's to more schools teaching a more local sort of history.

[McClef]

I found the comments on the article most illuminating and was amazed how many were trying to turn it into a Nationalist v Unionist debate.

Obviously History is open to interpretation but if you don't even know it in the first place how can you begin to interpret it?

The article refers to the desire of Michael Forsyth (Tory) to reintroduce Scottish history into the curriculum when he was Secretary of State for Scotland and when we were students together at St Andrews he was pro Devolution and I was anti!

Now our positions would seem to be reversed but we would still agree on this point!

[gilmore]

Ramsay MacDonald didn't invent the hamburger? Who knew?

[Sheep In Wolf's Clothing]

Arlen,
I never read the comments.. it only spoils the news!!
Sara