To not want ds singing the bloody national anthem every day at school?

[lecce]

I am reeling about this and would love some opinions.

Last night the dc and I were taking it turns to play songs on Youtube, when ds1 (7, Yr 3) announced he wanted 'Land of Hope and Glory' for his next choice . I was stunned - I didn't even know he'd heard of it. In the interrogation that followed, it transpired that his class has been singing 'God Save the Queen' every day before home time. It has no relation to their current topic, which is India, of all things... Mention has been made of 'loving our country' and that, as 'we are English' we should know these lyrics.

On Friday, those who had completed their art work early were given the lyrics of 'Land of...' (not ds - never have I been so happy about his lack of artistic talent) but, apparently, they will all be 'doing' it soon.

I absolutely do not want my children singing these nationalistic, jingoistic lyrics every day. I don't want the school promoting this kind of cheap patriotism to them, either. This is not what education is about.

Is this Gove's fault? I am a teacher (sec) and have heard nothing about this particular type of brainwashing. AIBU to kick up a stink about this?

And still she does not answer a simple question - because to do so would betray the fact that she insults and abuses because she cannot answer and because in truth she knows just how fortunate we are.

In fact it was you who launched a personal, unprovoked and abusive attack on me - but if you do not wish, or are unable, to answer my question, readers of this thread will be able to draw their own conclusions.

Mrs de Vere - I certainly think that it is OK for our children to be taught to count their blessings in living in a relatively free country. I have no problems with there being some absolute standards of behaviour and recognising that, although we often fall short of them as a nation, those standards should be our aim and that we do actually enjoy a lot more than many places on earth. I do not subscribe to relativism in matters of morality, freedom and justice but nor do I say we get it right all of the time or that it is because we are inherently superior to others. We are the creatures of our history, good and bad, and the beneficiaries of our ancestors' struggles but that doe snot stop us appreciating what we now have, not with a sense of superiority but of gratitude and determination to hand on our freedoms and privileges to our children in at least as good a state as we received them from our parents.

I'm sure the Birmingham Six and all of their friends and families would applaud that sentiment, CWK.

YANBU OP.

I would not like this at all. My sense of "Britishness" does not reside in either belief in a Christian God, or the conviction that the Queen, above all other individuals, entities or organisations in this country, is the one most in need of "saving" - or the one most in need of having more bloody gifts poured on her, for that matter.

Perhaps we should use this thread to give the National Anthem a rewrite? I'd start with:

"(Insert deity of choice here) save our beleagured NHS,
(Insert deity of choice here) save our beloved NHS,
(Insert deity of choice here) save our NHS!

Catchy, no?

Gosh I just logged in for first time into mumsnet and am slightly shocked by the language on here! Thought it was meant to be some sort of sisterhood, I must have been mistaken. I am too much of a wimp for this unless I seem to have had bad luck first logging into a particularly acrimonious thread.

isaacandelodiesmummy

Swearing has always been permitted on MN.

isaacandelodiesmummy

You can say cunt too if you like.

Welcome isa! There are a lot of bits of Mumsnet that are gentler and more supportive than AIBU. If, for example, you started a thread in "Mental Health" saying something like "I'm having a breakdown and can't go on", you would be overwhelmed by support and kindness. Just don't have a look at the thread about foxhunting that's going on this evening!

Too late for that stubbornstains, NHS already being segmented off and privatised.

The vulture is already picking over its bones www.virgincare.co.uk/

raltheraffe

Not really the swearing, its the slagging! Is this the norm? I was hoping to log on for a bit of craic! Must get away back to my ivory tower

Actually, reading the bombastic and puerile guff written on this thread has completely made me change my mind about the national anthem, so much so that I have written my own version of it in praise of our wonderful country:

God save our German queen
And all her haaaangers-on
Who cost us loads

ner-ner-ner-ner

Send her some immigrants
Grateful and diligent
Long to keep on talking about what a wonderful country the UK is and how we are better than anyone else because we just are, ok, and other people shoot you and stuff but we never do any of that, or have drones attacking wedding parties and even if we do it's just those funny brown-faces that hate our freedoms
Go-od save our German.

I would do the same to Land of Hope and Glory but seeing as how Elgar never wanted his music to be put to those words and was very very upset when it happened, I shall refrain.

I too would be very interested to hear what on earth singing the appalling national anthem is doing as part of your children's education. How is it being justified? I mean singing a few times so they know it for a special occasion, fair enough, but every day? What on earth os the point. Those precious minutes could be used for something MUCH more fun or useful!

I mentioned this thread to my non-poppy wearing mother who would like the UK to open the boarders to everyone. She thought singing the national anthem in schools is a "marvellous" idea.

I would be absolutely fascinated to see the demographics of the posters in this thread why?

lol

That told you MrsDeVere

That Bolton news article is terrifying.

hahahahaha brilliant - one bad mark to MrsDV - I hope you are ashamed - you let yourself down, you let your country down and you let your Queen down

you cock !

Hahaha!

I think she's spotted your cock, MrsDeVere.

Yes, I said 'cock'. I could also have said prick, dick, schlong, dong, one-eyed trouser snake etc.