Lessons on the EU 'should be part of school curriculum'

[watchthevideo]

CHILDREN will be required to learn more about the benefits of the European Union under plans to improve its image and standing in Britain.

Geoff Hoon, the Minister for Europe, has written to Alan Johnson, the Education Secretary, calling for a boost in EU lessons in the national curriculum, The Times has learnt. Mr Hoon said that he was concerned that children were indifferent to the EU because they were not taught about benefits such as free trade and cheap travel. He said: “There is a kind of grudging acceptance that we are members [of the EU] but without anyone understanding what it does or what it means.

“We have got to make what goes on in Europe come alive. It is about trying to explain what it does and what it means in terms of practical consequences.

“ I certainly think that that should be part of the national curriculum, a part of the citizenship process.

“I have no doubt there should be an element in there that explains what the EU is and how it works.”

Guidance for teachers states that the structure of the EU and other international bodies such as the UN can be taught in citizenship classes. But Mr Hoon wants the revised curriculum, currently under consultation, to require all children to learn about its benefits.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has added details to its website on Britain in the EU, including a virtual tour. These could form the basis of classroom materials, Mr Hoon said.

The Conservatives, however, said that they would resist any teaching resources that looked like propaganda.Graham Brady, the Shadow Europe Minister, said: “It would be welcome if genuinely objective information about the EU was available to British children. But that information must be clearly objective and must not be a kind of gloss attempting to promote a particular view of Europe.”

The National Union of Teachers said that there was no room in the timetable for extra EU lessons.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...293797,00.html

[Mikebloke]

Euronews (EU funded news organisation for those that don't know) has been mentioning this every now and then on their tv station, and often passively demonise countries like Britain and Sweden over its lack of europeanism.

It seems like the EU considers what is effectively light brainwashing by introducing it into schools as early on as possible in hopes the next generation will bend us over backwards to it better, as the only way it can go about in making our countries which are normaly anti-EU more in favour with them. Its getting a bit stupid now, the EU is trying to be a political entity when most people only want it to be a commercial one. They are already starting to talk about bringing back the EU constitution, with no editing, expecting people to accept it despite a number of no votes which the EU claim (to basically protect their ass) were just protest votes on other issues.

If they start forcing our kids to be bred in these EU classes, then they could probably pass any damn law they liked, despite the obvious cultural and political differences that are present in each country, we'd just have to take it.

[Peter North]

Perhaps they should ask the palestinians for some advice. They seem to have sussed it...

[Mikebloke]

Thats what we tend to call propaganda Pete, it shows only one side of the story.

Also, have you noticed that this topic has nothing to do with Islam, but with Europe. Unless you are suggesting that you'd like to see fellow britains going in for suicide missions to Brussles. Hey, prehaps some in the BNP or UKIP would like to sign up for the common good of resisting against the Devilish EU and their trade regulations, which is so much worse than the situation in Palestine.

[Peter North]

Well why not. After all we are now an occupied terriroty. The evil Neo-zionists in Brussels stole our land.

[scale]

Euronews (EU funded news organisation for those that don't know) has been mentioning this every now and then on their tv station, and often passively demonise countries like Britain and Sweden over its lack of europeanism.

It seems like the EU considers what is effectively light brainwashing by introducing it into schools as early on as possible in hopes the next generation will bend us over backwards to it better, as the only way it can go about in making our countries which are normaly anti-EU more in favour with them. Its getting a bit stupid now, the EU is trying to be a political entity when most people only want it to be a commercial one. They are already starting to talk about bringing back the EU constitution, with no editing, expecting people to accept it despite a number of no votes which the EU claim (to basically protect their ass) were just protest votes on other issues.

If they start forcing our kids to be bred in these EU classes, then they could probably pass any damn law they liked, despite the obvious cultural and political differences that are present in each country, we'd just have to take it.

Of course children should be educated on the EU, everyone agrees that it's important to how our country is governed yet there is a spectacular ignorance of how it works, or just how much influence it actually has. The vast majority of people are educated on the EU through sensationalist tabloid newspaper articles which have little or no basis in fact. Educating students on how the EU works in an impartial manner should be in everyone's interest (except perhaps the Sun and the Daily Star who make a fortune on making up nonsense about "barmy Eurocrats" running the country).

[sami_83]

The EU is so complicated we studied EU law at uni and woah they have so many different stages and voting systems just to pass a law.....

[mareyah]

The EU is so complicated we studied EU law at uni and woah they have so many different stages and voting systems just to pass a law.....

that news was posted 2006 i was studying the EU in my A-level politics class in 2003/2004. saying its a form of propoganda anything can be classed as propoganda...

[thaddeus]

Best time to brainwash them, surely?

Bloody EU. I want my vote on Lisbon.

[mareyah]

Best time to brainwash them, surely?

Bloody EU. I want my vote on Lisbon.

not really, it didnt work for me, i am against a suprantional EU or even a intergovernmental. its just another way for 'world force'

[Sparky II]

not really, it didnt work for me, i am against a suprantional EU or even a intergovernmental. its just another way for 'world force'

Whats wrong with being a "world force"? Better to be a player of the game, than a card on the table.

[mareyah]

Whats wrong with being a "world force"? Better to be a player of the game, than a card on the table.

and where does that lead us? or rather where has that led us?

perhaps intergovernmental EU works...but the other...there is no need for that, fair trade, awareness for under developed nations can be achieved as it is currently...

[Sparky II]

and where does that lead us? or rather where has that led us?

perhaps intergovernmental EU works...but the other...there is no need for that, fair trade, awareness for under developed nations can be achieved as it is currently...

It ends with us having enough to eat, heat in the winter, free education for our kids and decent healthcare, whatever the fortunes of the rest of the world may be.

We avoid living like these poor b*stards.


Nobody helps anybody in this world, Nunu - never have, and never will.

[mareyah]

It ends with us having enough to eat, heat in the winter, free education for our kids and decent healthcare, whatever the fortunes of the rest of the world may be.

We avoid living like these poor b*stards.


Nobody helps anybody in this world, Nunu - never have, and never will.

i know what your saying sparks...but a supranational EU will divert attention from the 'real' needs in my opinion...its working now and thats how it should be, nation states keeping its soveriegnty...free trade doing well... look at poland it is doing very well, few months ago i met this lady who invests in properties and she was saying poland is a becoming a place for foriegn investors...it can only get better the way it is...

and for the love of autumn winter do stop calling me nunu :l

[thaddeus]

You are aware that the EU has sod all democratic legitimacy? They just bribe countries who say No with sweeteners until they say Yes.

Who here voted for Barroso, the big nosed Commissioner King?

None of us.

The EU has utter contempt for democracy and its accounts haven't been signed off for over a decade. It's in need of major reform.