Teaching Methods Cause Parents Concern

Chronicle (Levin), 7 December 1949, Page 3

Teaching Methods Cause Parents Concern

AIJCKLAND; Dec. 5. The manner in which their children have been instructed in school in the political issues of the general election has caused much concern to a numher of parents! Allegations have ibeen made that primary school children have been invited to take party . sides and vote in mock polls for actual candidates, leading to bad feeling in the school and physicai violence in the playground and outside it. o , The parents state that, while they feel instruction in civics and government is itself a desirahle thing, they object strongly to party prejudices bemg forced upon young minds as yet unable to understand or think clearly upon the political issues of the day. Children who were told to vote in the classroom at mock polls for actual candidates in the electorate, it is stated, merely voted according to the political sympathies of their parents, and those in a minority, whichever, party it happened to be, subsequently had their lives made a misery in the playground. In at least one school, prior to a mock election being held in the classroom, children whose political sympathies placed them in a minority were bullied in the playground and were afraid to attend school beeause they had been promised a "beating up" uniess they changed. Playground Battles. In one city school there were playground battles amounting almost to a ' ' riot, ' ' with an unreasoning and continuing hatred directed against children who found theinselves in a minority. "I have very strong views on teachers who bring politics into the schools, and so assist to arouse bitter feelings in the ehildAmind, ' ' said Mr. Robin A. Watson, ex-ehairman of the Headmasters' Association, yesterday, when parents' complaints were referred to him. "I think that a teacher who believes he is teaching civics by bringing in party politics is a poor teacher. He is not teaching civics at all, and is only demonstrating that he does not know his job. "I think parents have a right to complain. Children are vexy zealous in all they do, and if they take sides on a question they usually feel impelled to emphasise their loyalty to their side with their flsts. They must be taught that this is the wrong way. If a teacher introduces party politics in the beiiei tnat he is teaching civics, he is only helping to drive out the very thing we want to eilcourage in civil life. • ' Partisanship Encouraged. ' ' ' ' The people involved — -and in some cases they have actively encouraged partisanship among the children undor their care — are, unfortunately, ofteu politically tinged from pink to red. l have good friends among both political parties, but I would never allow parties to be called by name in my school a3 part of the teaching of civics. "When at the beginning of the election period I noii'ced party politics creeping into my school I instructed that they were tobbe avoided entirely. Teachers were told they might talk bi' the election and discuss electoral systems. It is perfectly possible to teacli civics without giving party iabels to opposing sides. ' ' fcjome children started to come .^o school wearing party colours. but Tfofbade this. I told them . that when they eame within the school igates theywefe all members of one .f'anfily and if they wanted to wear cdloufs.they could wear only the school colours. In this way wo got through the election without any bad incidents, and at the same time were able to give our children a valuable iesson in civics." When the parents' complaints were referred to the chairman of the Auckland Education Board, Mr (I. K. Hamilton, he said tliit if the board received a dehnite complaint it would investigate it at once. "Speaking generally, " said Mr Hamilton, "the board iooks with the greatest disfavour on bringing schools into contact with party politics in any way at all. As chairman of«the board I do not usually express an opinion as tc methods of teaching. That is rather a matter for the inspectors. But I cannot approve of a method of teachingwhich involves party politics, as in the cases quoted. "