Riddle, Stewart: Proposed new curriculum acknowledges First Nations’ view of British ‘invasion’ and a multicultural Australia

Stewart Riddle

Proposed new curriculum acknowledges First Nations’ view of British “invasion” and a multicultural Australia‘, The Conversation, 30 April 2021 updated

Good survey of proposed changes to Foundation to Year 10 Australian Curriculum, now out for consultation, plus a hint of the controversy it will generate, especially on the history side. For the stoush of 2014, use our Honest History Search engine, with search term ‘curriculum’.

Update 21 May 2021: AL Jones writes in Independent Australia, quoting some of the backlash, including at official levels, to the proposed changes.

The history draft, [Education Minister Alan Tudge] signalled, is in danger of dishonouring our Western heritage; not teaching facts; being biased toward First Nations’ perspectives; turning students into activists and containing unacceptable terminology.

Would that be terminology that describes colonisation’s harsh truths? Mr Tudge wasn’t specific.

Along with Tony Abbott, John Howard and others, Mr Tudge is a gatekeeper of Western culture. The gatekeepers take criticism of their hallowed ground as a personal insult — “Disparage my culture and you disparage me”. And they strike back like cut snakes.

Like all imperialists, Western colonisers have dispossessed, dislocated, enslaved, sickened and murdered the people whose lands they invaded. But history is written by the victors and the privileged descendants are the gatekeepers.

Update 12 July 2021: Another survey of developments, this time from Cam Wilson in Crikey.

Update 30 July 2021: Advice in The Conversation on history as an option for Years 11 and 12 students.

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