To The Australian
It is good to learn that the new NSW senior secondary curriculum emphasises 'how Western civilisation was shaped' ('Classroom focus shifts to life skills', 21/2), but the ways in which this is to be done arouse some misgivings. Is there to be sufficient attention given to the role of British constitutional and cultural history, surely the most important aspect of our heritage? Is there too great an emphasis on the last 500 years of history at the expense of the civilisations of Greece and Rome, the mediaeval period and the Renaissance? (The new focus on ancient China is to be applauded.)
Yes, it is good to decentralise education at this level, as Kevin Donnelly notes, but are individual schools being given adequate flexibility of choice? And surely the 'Bush legend' is more important to an understanding of Australia's self-image than a focus on any particular politician from the past? Much more interesting too!
NJ, Belgrave, Vic