To wonder why Australia's 'stolen generation' isn't taught in schools or well known?

[workingdilemma]

I was in oz a decade or so ago, and learny of the stolen generation. Aboriginal children who were taken out of their families, put with white families and ein an effort to remove their culture. A lot of people also say part of this was a more shocking plan to eventually 'breed out' the aboriginal people.

This 'strategy' continued at least in part till the 1970s - so shockingly recently.

In australia they have in recent years attempted to attone in some manner by apologising to the aboriginal people, but i find it incredible that over here or elsewhere, very few people know about this.

I was interested to read the ww2 thread just now and it made me wonder again about why this isn't discussed and taught in schools.

Aibu to think this episode of history should be discussed more globally as a historical mistake (and more)?

@degust
I have no idea if James Watson has been debunked by peer - review
but from my point of view, he is an idiot

Goodness, we agree on one thing...,wonders never cease...

It's important to be open minded.
and not subject to following the pack

in my humble opinion

Indeed. And that is why I've studied umpteen primary sources and you know...actually spoken to Aboriginal people, and those working in the field.

sure. I have tried to help you.

maybe , one day, you might look at it from the other end of the telescope ?
maybe you were wrong ??

It is tough. maybe too much to ask

Oh yes, I am in much need of help...ya know, cos I can't make up my own mind about stuff.

To answer the OP, the stolen generation is taught in Year 3 and 10 in the Australian curriculum.

The History curriculum that is.

doubt any country advertises their atrocities.

I was at school in Australia 60s and 70s. In primary school I remember a small group of indigenous kids who were always placed in the "remedial" class. They occasionally would vanish as they had gone walkabout to try and locate their birth families and be brought back by the authorities. I recall some teachers excusing it because "they" couldn't look after kids, houses or keep down proper jobs, so it was for the kids own good. My sister says now the same school teaches a balanced view of Australian history, the high school offers Aboriginal Studies and the Elders are fully involved in school governance. (Not saying there isn't racism still, but it's a damn sight better than when I was there)

That's heartening to hear, Vagelina

I can walk across the road and wake up Aunty if you want. She is of the stolen generation. How's that for first hand proof?

We will be getting the holocaust, 9/11 and sandy hook conspiracy theorists on here next.

Back to the original topic though, I have no idea why it isn't taught at school. In primary school we learned mainly about the first fleet and bushrangers. History is not compulsory after year 8 but I did modern and ancient history in years 9-12 and touched on indigenous history once or twice. I remember studying the Myall Creek massacre and that was it.

@degust
fair enough. sorry for being patronising , but watch out for

Ahistoricity - judging other times and peoples by our standards
Ideology - Everything they did was bad, everything we do is good
Confirmation bias - I am not reading that. Its bolks. but this looks really comforting in MN

Also. a lot of MN denizens seem to think that something popular must be true. In that case I would have a beehive and flares

I also studied Anthropology. I'm fairly well versed in the differences between cultural imperialism and cultural relativism.

It's really incredible to think that anybody could have thought that way, isn't it? Especially people in power. But they did.

In some ways the sexual abuse stuff is almost more understandable because you can see it has a totally selfish root - the abusers wanted to abuse and they did and others turned a blind eye because it was too much trouble to make a fuss and because they didn't care.

But setting up whole schools, and programmes? And those death figures for the Canadian tragedy (which I had also never heard of before today) - How? How do people come up with programmes like that and then carry on with them when the human cost is staring you in the face like that?

I can see the patterns in a lot of human behaviour which seems inexplicable but I cannot understand this, I wonder if I ever will.

It is a grim bit of history, but with limited time I don't think they can pack everything into the school history syllabus.

In Australian schools, I think it should definitely be mentioned.

So in that case, Spartans exposing babies to the elements to choose the strongest ones can't be judged as shocking because that would be shocking to our modern sensibilities?
No one said everything they (or in this case us) was bad or good-life isn't clear cut, but in the example the op brought up-yes it was inexcusable.
Actually I think again you are being patronising here about confirmation bias, because I think most people who have got this far in this thread will have a good knowledge about the subject-reading a denier's opinion will add nothing to their knowledge. Much like I don't need to watch a program about the moon landings being faked-because they weren't. (And deniers have an agenda-especially with regard to First Nations)

Until there's any compelling evidence to confirm it didn't happen, I'll believe it did. I haven't done any formal history since a-level many years ago, so who knows, maybe I've been reading biased sources on the subject. But the most compelling evidence I do have is the history of the Caucasians, and those of originally western origin ( usually English or English origin ) treating the original inhabitants of wherever they wanted to steal as an inferior species. That attitude was alive and well in places other than Australia at the time, and still is in many places. So it's illogical to assume that while the White Man was abusing the natives everywhere else, in Australia they were not.

An Aussie here, school late 80s, early 90s. Stolen generation not taught but it was in the news a lot so l knew what it was.

I also cant say l doubt it happened. Australia doesn't know how to 'help' Aboriginals. The one thing l don't think they've ever considered is proper integration. They still segregate but it's considered more 'positive' yes l use that word loosely discrimination.

What happened to the indigenous people was absolutely horrific. How they have suffered and still suffer with inadequate services and resources.
I absolutely think this should be more public and taught in schools.
There was a fantastic heartbreaking documentary I watched on YouTube not so long ago.. I'll try and link later.

Partialderivative I was at school in the late 80s/early 90s. Slave trade was definitely not on the curriculum then.

GCSE History syllabus was entirely 20th century anyway, mainly US and European, very little British. It was a very odd & limited syllabus and I'm still a bit mystified by it tbh.

I did know about the slave trade from history books we had at home, and I had family connections to the Caribbean so that was one area I knew a bit about - but nothing about India, Ireland or Australia. I only learned about the Partition from Midnight's Children.

Actually I remember v little of history lessons pre GCSE - I had a run of bad teachers - but I've just remembered we did cover the Boston Tea Party and early US history, but even then I don't think slavery was covered.

I was going to mention the film 'Rabbit proof fence' but eastmidsmummy beat me to it. It is a brilliant film, definitley recommended it to people.

My primary school child is learning about this and the impact Aboriginal people have had on the development of Australia. They have been doing this since January.

And we live in an area which has next to no Aboriginal people.

Curriculums do change over time.

marshmallowpies - I think there must have been more than one history curriculum. Possibly to do with different exam boards covering different parts of history or having different modules for schools to pick from?

I was at school at a similar time to you, and my GCSE history syllabus covered agricultural, industrial and transport history of Britain from around 1750 - 1950. We were taught about the Irish Potato Famine and land clearances, including the Highland Clearances, as part of that. We learnt about the slave trade at some point, but I can't remember if that was for GCSE or earlier. We weren't taught much about US or European history except for the bits to do with the 2 World Wars (pre GCSE).