Outrage!
The Age is my newspaper of choice. No superfluous diagrams, no sensationalism, no dumbing-down.
Usually, they exhibit a respect for all possible readers - executives, wage slaves, immigrants, stay at home mums. If you were to guess at their political alignment, it appears that they are skewed towards more socially responsible attitudes... dare I say Labour?
So imagine my horror to read this yesterday, in relation to proposed VCE English reforms:
A compulsory subject that is to be relevant, important and useful to a highly academic student from a private school in a leafy eastern suburb vying for a position in a medical or law faculty at a prestigious local university must be just as appropriate, significant and pertinent to a student in a western suburbs school from a non-English-speaking background. Such a student may still be at school only because there are no other viable alternatives.
Bastard! How dare he imply that a person's heritage or location determines their intelligence or desire to achieve!
I am not in either of the groups he speaks of - I am not from the western suburbs, English is my first language, I did not go to a private school, there are leaves in my suburb - so I am not personally offended.
I am, however, angry for all of the people who are diminished by this ridiculous statement. Those who are wildly successful, intelligent, compassionate, and return home to a family who share the day's events in Cantonese. Those who love nothing more than curling up in a cosy nook in their Melton residence and absorbing great literary works which satisfy their thirst for masterful prose. Those who will not try to excel when morons like this one don't expect them to.
A good English program is one which will inspire students regardless of where they live or how recently the began to call Australia home. It will put an end to ineffective communications, like text messages which read 'R U redi 4 da party, dont B L8!!!!!' It will stop retailers from using terms such as 'drive thru', 'lite', 'kwik' and every other possible molestation of our language. It will not be so contrived that it is relevant only to those living somewhere between Sandringham and Elwood. It will not be so common as to not challenge students to develop their skills.
Grrr. Stupid literati - I blow my nose at you!
Usually, they exhibit a respect for all possible readers - executives, wage slaves, immigrants, stay at home mums. If you were to guess at their political alignment, it appears that they are skewed towards more socially responsible attitudes... dare I say Labour?
So imagine my horror to read this yesterday, in relation to proposed VCE English reforms:
A compulsory subject that is to be relevant, important and useful to a highly academic student from a private school in a leafy eastern suburb vying for a position in a medical or law faculty at a prestigious local university must be just as appropriate, significant and pertinent to a student in a western suburbs school from a non-English-speaking background. Such a student may still be at school only because there are no other viable alternatives.
Bastard! How dare he imply that a person's heritage or location determines their intelligence or desire to achieve!
I am not in either of the groups he speaks of - I am not from the western suburbs, English is my first language, I did not go to a private school, there are leaves in my suburb - so I am not personally offended.
I am, however, angry for all of the people who are diminished by this ridiculous statement. Those who are wildly successful, intelligent, compassionate, and return home to a family who share the day's events in Cantonese. Those who love nothing more than curling up in a cosy nook in their Melton residence and absorbing great literary works which satisfy their thirst for masterful prose. Those who will not try to excel when morons like this one don't expect them to.
A good English program is one which will inspire students regardless of where they live or how recently the began to call Australia home. It will put an end to ineffective communications, like text messages which read 'R U redi 4 da party, dont B L8!!!!!' It will stop retailers from using terms such as 'drive thru', 'lite', 'kwik' and every other possible molestation of our language. It will not be so contrived that it is relevant only to those living somewhere between Sandringham and Elwood. It will not be so common as to not challenge students to develop their skills.
Grrr. Stupid literati - I blow my nose at you!
posted by Janet | 9:12 am
1 Comments:
To be fair to The Age - that article is an opinion piece, not an editorial.
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