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Politicising Education.
Read more about: Fine Gael
I dispare sometimes I really do.
Fine Gael Education Spokesman, Brian Hayes TD has described Mary Hanafin’s decision to distribute a book on Eamon de Valera to schools nationwide as a blatant attempt to politicise education.
Two thousand copies of ‘Judging de Valera’ were sent to 720 schools by the Department at a cost of €36,000 to the taxpayer. Deputy Hayes said the Minister must immediately clarify whether this type of thing has happened in the past and whether she plans to supply books on the State’s other political leaders.
Now Dev, fought in 1916, lead the first dail, was a major if not thee cause of the civil war, formed Fianna Fail, wrote much of the constitution, led us during the emergency, majorly f**ked us, was the longest serving Toaiseach and president of the country. The story of Dev is not that far off the story of the nation during the period of his life time. Maybe Fine Gael would also like a book about their founder Eoin O’Duffy to be released to schools? Like him or load him no one else in the history of the state is as important of a figure, he is bigger to Ireland then Churchill is to Britain. No one in Britain would think books on Churchill are politicising education they would just consider them a vital part of history. Indeed when the life and times of Churchill as a historical topic in itself was taken of the mandatory curriculum there was uproar for dropping him, not that the life and times of Anthony Eden was not on the course as well. So why do we think a book on Dev is politising education? It is not. Releasing a statement like this is.
As if this is all that is wrong with the country.
I think the underlying issue is whether Ferriter’s book is part of the counter-revisionism on Dev as the pendulum swings back from the days of Dev being played by Alan Rickman. I’ve been listening to the RTE radio series associated with the book which is good but so far it has had some huge blind spots, especially on Dev’s atrocious economic record and the degree to which his 1937 constitution was a hindrance in Northern Ireland. Also important to know is how teachers are using the book. If there are associated teaching materials with a particular line of spin, it would be more troubling. But if it’s just part of a package of historical material, hard to see the harm. Most history teachers would be grateful if they could get the pupils to read a few pages of any book outside the course textbook.
I would say also more kids in schools have watched the Michael Collins movie in the class room then will ever read this book.
For once Hanafin is spending some money on school books. Not usually a Fianna Fail policy
Gordon
Distributing the book is being provocative - the Fine Gael reaction is just knee-jerk. It’s just politicians being politicians.
Also - despair not “dispare”; the not “thee”; Taoiseach not “Toaiseach”; loathe not “load”; off not “of” (as in “taken of the mandatory curriculum”) ; politicising not politising.
I can see no problem with this if it is part of a series of books that are going to be sent out to schools on major figures of Irish twenty century history. But is it? And is it intended to be used simply in classrooms with teachers selecting the sections or can students loan it out from a school library and read it themselves?
Simon, Eoin O’Duffy was not the founder of Fine Gael. He was the leader of one of the organisations that merged into Fine Gael and he was the first president of the party, being ousted once people realised how unsuitable he was for the post (wouldn’t Irish history be so much better if other parties could have found it in themselves to do the same to their leaders). The kids who watched Michael Collins mostly paid for it themselves.
I’m sure we could scare up some unwanted copies of “Breaking the mould” around abouts DSE.
I’m sure we could scare up some unwanted copies of “Breaking the mould” around abouts DSE.
Think I read that on another political website
Thing is most Schools I know have oil central heating so no need for breaking the mould 
Could we just forget about Dev? Write him out of history books maybe?