I read the other day of a parent’s frustration at her child’s lockdown assignment for the week – to organise a VE garden party, make bunting, red, white and blue cupcakes, etc. It made me wonder what we are teaching our children, what values we are sharing and what sort of adults we want them to be.
So, yes, let’s teach them about WW2, but let’s teach them well:
I can’t see garden parties, parades, Red Arrow flypasts and Union Jack bunting having any role in that kind of education.
Let’s teach our children well.
So, yes, let’s teach them about WW2, but let’s teach them well:
- Let’s teach them to respect those who died, but with silence and dignity. Let’s teach them to respect not only the suffering of British service men and women, but of soldiers and civilians of all nations involved in the conflict.
- Let’s teach them what fascism means, and that it has not yet been defeated.
- Let’s teach them VE does not mean Victory over Europe, but Victory in Europe. You would be amazed at how often that mistake cropped up in the media this week
- Let’s teach them that the victory was won not by Britain, but by an alliance of nations, including Polish airmen and Indian soldiers– in our post-Brexit isolationism, it’s important to recognise we did not stand alone then, and we can’t stand alone now.
- Let’s teach them that there can be no ‘right side’ in any conflict and that in WW2 Allied forces inflicted terrible harm on civilians.
- Let’s teach them that our only hope of security in the future is turn away from evil, to seek peace and pursue it.
I can’t see garden parties, parades, Red Arrow flypasts and Union Jack bunting having any role in that kind of education.
Let’s teach our children well.