Do you want your child to learn God Save the Queen at School?

[Liketochat1]

Is it important for all children at school in Britain to learn the National Anthem no matter their country of origin? Would it help integration at all? Or simply be a good way of increasing a sense of patriotism? Is it important even though so many people don't believe in God and don't support a monarchy?
Are you happy for your child to learn it? Would you like a different National Anthem?

OwedtoAutumn, choral works mostly, cantatas, the passions and the mass. As often as I can - bliss! [hsmile] Other stuff too - and rarely GSTQ, but I do know it - verses 1 and 2.

AIBU to troll all my articles from MN?

Yes, I know both verses, from Girl Guides. But I never sing them, because I am a republican.

thank you [hgrin]

I think they should learn it all, including the "rebellious Scots to crush" verse.

My children are all anti monarchy thank goodness. The monarchy are nothing more than parasites- money sucking fleas upon our backs. Versailles makes more tourist income than any of our royal sites so keeping them for their tourist value is a dead in the water argument (check the stats).
No, my (now adult) kids do not sing the anthem and they would only literally or metaphorically bow their heads to those who achieve greater things then merely being pushed out of the uterus of a Windsor...

Will that help towards your W.L?

I have not sung it myself in over 15 years. We are republicans and I do not want my children ever uttering the words 'long to reign over us'.

When we get an anthem about the country and it's people I will sing it and teach my DC. While it remains a putrid ditty glorifiying an unelected monarch I will not.

There's no such thing as an elected monarch. In any case, the Queen is more popular than any elected official in this country.

In Star Wars Queen Amidala was an elected monarch.

Would you like a different National Anthem?

Well, not really no. As we are British I assume this is the correct one for DD to know

I would like my DC to learn the national anthem... I'm in favour of the monarchy (my husband is not) and love the history of the monarchy and GB..

I reckon our school had it right: we learnt our own national anthem, the Star-spangled Banner, the Soviet national anthem, God Save the Queen and The East is Red. I am no more politically confused than the next person.

What is "the East is Red"?

I'm not English but I would like my children to learn it at school. Its not an order its a part of the history of the country they live in!

I am not a royalist and would not want my children to be forced into singing this. Let's have a proper national anthem not that dreadful dirge.

It's a horrible dirge. And xenophobic.

God attack the Queen
Send big dogs after her
That bite her bum

(E. Izzard)

I think billy connellys suggestion of having the archers theme is quite jolly!

And op YABU (not entirely sure what for, but you are)

Cozy9 Fri 26-Oct-12 17:05:19
"What is "the East is Red"? "

The maoist national anthem (showing my age). The Swedish lyrics I learnt went The East is red, the sun rises, China has given birth to Mao Tse-Tung.
I think we all understood that this was meant to be part of our general education, not a belief system we were meant to absorb.

Okay what about all the people who object to the National Anthem , the Lord's Prayer etc start their own separate schools without patriotism, any sort of holiness and gentleness no uniform, no rules, no homework, parents' evenings where parents tell the teachers how the DC are getting on :-)

Glaikit I was just thinking of that! Jolly, but strangely unfunny. It's the way he tells them....

I am atheist and republican but have taught the dcs GSTQ, Jerusalem, Land of Hope and Glory, abide with me, Praise my soul the king of heaven, Amazing Grace etc. Group singing is marvelous. And they won't need the hymn book at weddings or funerals 90% of the time.

In a perfect world we would have a decent national anthem and the monarchy would die with the present queen but I still like a good singalong.