It’s a funny old world. Back in 1979, rock band Pink Floyd was telling teachers to “leave them kids alone”. Their greatest hit Another Brick in the Wall was a protest against a rigid educational system that churned out conformist individuals without a spark of intelligence to challenge the system.
“We don’t need no thought control,” the lyrics went, “No dark sarcasm in the classroom.” Today the ones telling politicians to leave the kids alone are the teachers.
Not in so many words of course, but quite rightly and appropriately. The Malta Union of Teachers has sent an open letter to the leaders of the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party, basically telling them to grow up and start giving a good example to their students.
The MUT noted the growing sense of antagonism between the two main political camps and the fact that this was having a ripple effect on children and their education.
It pointed out that a look at local online comments board and social network sites would reveal a growing sense of division and a manifestation of hatred and contempt for people with different political affiliations.
When politics is conducted in this divisive way it undermines the efforts of teachers to show children how to think rationally. If our children live in an environment where mudslinging and personal attacks are considered to be the norm this is going to be reflected in their intellectual and social development, and it bodes badly for our country.
I can attest to this. I grew up in a highly polarised political environment where it was unheard of to speak to or mix with people holding a different political opinion. Today, I look back with sadness at that time. It seems absurd to imagine that only a few short years ago, households were driven apart because of people’s different political affiliations. That was when the seeds of division were sown and they bear bitter fruit till today.
It seems absurd to imagine that only a few short years ago, households were driven apart because of people’s different political affiliations
You still find people whose judgement is clouded and who cannot accept the fact that corrupt, unwise or ineffective politicians are not found exclusively on any one side of the political divide.
They continue to justify the bad decisions made by the politicians they support simply because they cannot contemplate a world where they are not on the side of the angels warring striving to overcome the dark forces of their opponents.
This is an alarmingly simplistic world view and a generalisation which results in prejudice and discrimination.
Someone reading the MUT’s letter said it was up to teachers and educators to teach children and to instil values of decency and tolerance.
I disagree.
Although there is a worrying trend to outsource practically all aspects of parenting and education, there is a limit to what teachers can achieve during school hours. It’s all very well and good to have PSD sessions, role play and chats by well-meaning educators. But these efforts can’t make up for the all-pervasive negativity of the polarised society that PL and PN exponents are perpetuating.
American author Henry B. Eyring once wrote: “We live in a world where finding fault in others seems to be the favourite blood sport.
“It has long been the basis of political campaign strategy. It is the theme of much television programming across the world. It sells newspapers. Whenever we meet anyone, our first, almost unconscious reaction may be to look for imperfections.”
That may be so, but I should think it is incumbent upon our politicians to heed the MUT’s missive and start to give a better example to future generations so that they can be caring members of society instead of spectators in the blood sport that politics has turned into.
cl.bon@nextgen.net.mt