Jude Collins

Wednesday 22 May 2013

Mike Nesbitt and how not to swim




I’m sure Mike Nesbitt isn’t drowning and I’m sure if he were, he would swim his way to safety, but at present he’s making wild lungeing movements that suggest a politically-drowning man. His latest grab is in the direction of the English curriculum here.  In yesterday’s Irish Times  he’s reported as calling for the withdrawal of a book that he hasn’t read.

The book in question is Bog Child  and apparently Mike’s upset about the teaching notes that the CCEA have supplied to be used with it. The book is set in the 1980s and is the story of a teenager whose brother is on hunger strike and who finds a body in a bog.   The teaching notes suggest children study the hunger strikes of the time, put themselves in the shoes of Bobby Sands, and respond to the writings of Sinn Féin’s publicity chief at the time, Danny Morrison, as factual writing. The notes also mention the shame some children might have felt that their fathers worked as prison warders. 

“Do I not like that!”  Mike says, or words to that effect.  In fact, he dislikes it so much he’s called for action. “ This book and the related teaching guidance should be removed from the Northern Ireland curriculum immediately. Then an independent review of curriculum content must be instigated forthwith”. 

The CCEA say that teachers don’t have to teach Bog Child  if they don’t want to - it’s just a suggested text. The curriculum body also points out that matters such as the disappeared, Maggie Thatcher’s views on the hunger strikes and the thinking of Richard O’Rawe, whose views on the hunger strike are diametrically opposed to those of Danny Morrison, are part of the teaching notes.   

But Mike’s too busy thrashing around to hear that. “Let me be clear, this is not an attack on the book” he says.

Glug-glug.


6 comments:

  1. Does Mike remember that Hitler burned books that he didn't agree with?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Blimey, has Mike called for this book to be burned? I hadn't realised.
      What other books does he want thrown on the pyre?

      Delete
  2. "This book and the related teaching guidance should be removed from the Northern Ireland curriculum immediately. Then an independent review of curriculum content must be instigated forthwith”.
    What class is it for? What subject? History? Current Affairs?
    The Hungerstrike took place over 30 years ago.
    Banning the book is as if somebody at school in the 1960s was forbidden to read stories about the 1930s.
    What's the problem?
    Does Mike just not like the subject matter?
    But the events happened - why can't schoolchildren learn about them?

    ReplyDelete
  3. He's just trying to make himself seem relevent with petty issues and ends up making himself seem more irrelevent in the process

    ReplyDelete
  4. I note that Newton Emerson in today's Sunday Times has some sympathy for the views put forward by Mike Nesbitt.However anybody who would even think of criticising Danny Morrison in your blogs would no doubt have an uphill struggle as there seems to be a mutual admiration society between the pair of you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anon 15:08 - why not ask Danny? He's on Twitter now. I'm not sure what the point is re NE sympathising with Mike Nesbitt. Lots of people do, I imagine. And lots don't.

    ReplyDelete