[align=center]Media Spotlight, Sunday July 09 from 9am on Colourful: Should the history of the British Empire be taught in schools?



Should the history of the British Empire be taught in schools?

The body that regulates the national curriculum - the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has announced plans to introduce extended teaching of the history of the British Empire for the 11-14 age group.

Tensions are already mounting as for years there have been repeated calls for black history to be made part of the curriculum and whilst these calls have been ignored the British Empire has suddenly jumped to the top of the queue.

The questions we are asking our listeners this week are:

1. Should the history of the British Empire be taught and if so by whom and from what perspective?

2. Do you think that teachers need additional training on how to teach history from a world view rather than from a purely European viewpoint?

This week's guests are Professor Gus John, in the studio is Dr Lorna Cork, author of the book: Supporting Black Pupils & Parents. British-born Dr Mark Christian, Associate Professor of Black Studies at Miami University in Ohio, USA who has been in the UK on a flying visit.

To take part in the programme call 0800 8400 194 or email http://www.colourfulradio.com[/align]

Note: the email address is:

mediaspotlight@colourfulradio.com

@ MGL: I only just saw this thread so missed the show What was it like?

Anyway, clearly, black history is not going to be made part of the curriculum any time soon so yes, the history of the British Empire should be taught in all of its gory, negative truth. Maybe then people would realise this place isn't the land of hope and glory that people make it out to be. Its a cess pit built on lies and the blood of other people. :X

The Brtish Empire was one of my A level units. it was taught in such a biased, mediocre way it was unbelievable. I was soooooooo pissed at the way it was taught. Thank god I have two levels of education, andIknow the truth.There was one source in one of these past papers which was a letter written by 2 Cameroonian Kings, inviting the British to rule them, as they couldn't. In addition they begged for Christianity to civilize Cameroon immediately. So what the curriculum is basically trying to infer is that the empire was developed and maintained through a mixture of force and collaboration, hence conveying the picture that they were not brutes and bullies. My teacher even said, as welll as one lecturer i was interviewed by at one of the universities i amwas planning to go to, was "The english was the most civillized and good natured colonial powers in comparison to the rest". Anything to alleviate blame, or to make themselves look good.

conscious sistah wrote:
Wow!! Was your course really that blatant. If I had more time on my hands I would take up one of these courses just to give the teacher pure trouble. It would be great fun and strangely theraupeutic / one day to look forward to in the week/ like playing footie on Wednesdays.

All I'm frightened of is the information slipping throughto my child while they are enrolled in babylon school system. Man these days you got to interograte your youth about what they learn at school just to made sure these arrogrant superior attitudes are not slipped in the back door.

This may assist you:

British Empire lessons must be treated with caution, says historian

Concious sistah

Agree wholeheartily..at least you had the awareness and education to be aware of the bull..many including myself at that age didnt have clue/ or didnt have enough tangible examples to call up on that could sucessfully counter their claims.

Thinking on my feet I dont think its enough to ask parents (many of whom are ignorant or not well versed enough in their history or maybe not good teachers) to expect to teach the bulk of our children their history. Most white children parents are thick as two planks but they get a sense of their version of history in everyday media and life. I think ideally it should be a organsied schools that deal with our history. But thats another story..

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Osborne told Black Britain: “You can’t give an unbalanced narrative. If they are going to give a narrative it has to be balanced. You are going to have to include the so called wonderful parts that they love to celebrate as well as the not so great parts. That involves the Trans-Atlantic slave trade!�



What are these wonderful parts about the British empire. There was nothing positive about the British empire. Not one thing at all. To allow them to teach even so called limited benefits is a direct contradiction to African history though African eyes.

Benefits indeed.

Yes, the good and the bad of British colonialism should be taught to youngsters. The massacres and the creation of proper civil societies in equal measure.