Concerns as identity politics creep into the Australian classroom, by Rebecca Urban.
English students face being drilled in the politics of class, race, gender and sexuality, as an influential teacher advocacy group seeks to push social justice issues into the classroom.
The Victorian Association for the Teaching of English, a professional body backed by the state government, will host its annual conference next month, unveiling a program to highlight “the iconoclasts, the dissidents and the marginalised” and celebrate individuals “who will not, or cannot, swim in the mainstream”.
Headlining the two-day event will be former Australian Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs and GetUp! campaigner Shen Narayanasamy, who will deliver keynote speeches. Left-leaning political commentator Van Badham will also appear as a guest speaker. …
Australian Catholic University senior research fellow Kevin Donnelly said it was disappointing to see teachers emphasise ideology over good grammar, spelling, punctuation and literary appreciation.
“Instead of English teaching being about giving a balanced view of literature, it’s now more about offering a critique of society, particularly Western society, misogyny, inequality and capitalism,” Dr Donnelly said.
Dr Donnelly, a former English teacher and one-time member of VATE, said the association appeared to have been captured by the left.
Right on. Meanwhile our schools keep slipping in international rankings, even as we spend ever more money on teachers. Hmmm.
hat-tip Stephen Neil
