To raise an eyebrow at dd's nursery?

[snickersnack]

It's International Day at nursery next month. Lots of dancing, food and dressing up. Each room is given a country to learn about and "celebrate". DD's room has been given Zimbabwe. She's 3. What do you expect they may be learning?

Does a member of staff have a Zimbabwe connection? Have you asked?

Yes actually I would teach a 3yr old the nice fluffy bits about a country.

I am responding your argument, which is flawed.

You said that we would not use 'Nazi Germany' as a nursery class. Of course not. Why then, are you so happy to use Zimbabwe as a nursery class? Zimbabwe is happening now. I fail to see the difference between the two regimes, other than that Hitler was duly elected, whereas Mugabe is not.

These children will grow up, and they will wonder why Zimbabwe was used at all. It is akin to a child in the early thirties having Germany to 'celebrate.'

And I don't quite know what the Olympics have to do with this specific debate.

What do you think they will be learning fgs?

Perhaps a few words - national dress, food and what madlentileater said!!

No one will mention mugabe etc - they're three.

dd2 did vietnam, went to local restaurant - i went too for errr quality control. v yummy.

dd1 did columbia - learned everything about food, flags, songs etc but obv not drugs trade

i think it'sgreat

"What do you think they will be learning fgs?"

In that case, why not choose a different African country fgs

(obv don't think great re: zimbabwe)

olmpics , beijing 2008 , China , repression , Tibet crisis, human rights in China ...

Zimbabwe to pre-schoolers - easy

Animals
Victoria Falls and Kariba (very big waterfall and even bigger lake)
The food they eat (Sadza - made from Maize Meal - same stuff sweetcorn comes from)
The music (marimbas - bit like xylophones)
Language (Good morning - Mangwanani)

I have to disagree with Desi when she says that "culture doesn't thrive under evil" - because it is still there despite the troubles.

As for the clothes - very American and Englishised

Yes, I am aware of that, Captain, but we are talking about Zimbabwe.

My references to Nazi Germany are appropriate in the circumstances. Children who are taught to celebrate a nation currently engulfed in evil is rather repugnant.

It is akin to children in the thirties celebrating Germany, and all that it then stood for. Of course, children in the thirties were not taught to celebrate Germany, and that's my point.

I think Mr Mugabe has enough followers, without innocently recruiting any more, don't you?

Culture is always there, FAQ, but it cannot thrive.

Well if you want to boycott one country because of its Human rights then surely you must do it with all others that have human rights issues - hence not allowing our children to see the olmpics because they will get the wrong impression about China .

Shona customs? sculpture? The political situation makes it even more important to remember Zimbabwe.

Oh yeah I can just see the 3 yr old in the nursery supporting Mugabi because somone dare talk about the country

Yes, but we have to get rid of Mugabe. When it comes to people like him, the softly-softly approach just doesn't work.

And it's confusing for small children, when they might see the news.

I am perfectly amenable to the fact that, when it comes to Zimbabwe, they do not deserve their leader. In western nations the opposite is genererally true: a nation deserves its government. In Zimbabwe, I am not convinced that they deserve Mugabe.

We shall have to agree to disagree, Underpants.

You remind me of the entire government who thought that Germany was OK in the 1930s. Let's not rock the boat. I'm sure Germany knows what it's doing.

Meanwhile, thousands of Zimbabwean men, women and children are being slaughtered because they dare to vote for someone else.

I think culture takes a back seat to that.

So what do you do, forget them? pretend it's not happening? they don't exist? that's how Mugabe etc stay in power. And when I visited there ten years ago things were beginning to get difficult and people were pissed off that they were invisible in Europe

lol trust me HedgeWitch - they'll be listening to some music that our 3yr olds have heard - wind-up radios (while now banned) are still around in large numbers broadcasting channels which play LOTS of "western music" - and even the state run radio station plays plenty of it it.

Mind you - there's plenty of music that those 3yr olds will be listening to that our 3yr old may never do.........if we stop them learning about Zimbabwe because of one man.......

You know what - yes things are shit out there right now - but they're not in a civil war (thank god) so it's not all "guns and fear" et all.

I understand why people are saying about mugabe. But surely its more important for children to have an understanding of the general culture in zimbabwe not just current affairs they're bombarded with that daily if their parent watch the news. Their culture is so far from our own if children dont learn about different cultures it causes ignorance of them!

' You remind me of the entire government who thought that Germany was OK in the 1930s. Let's not rock the boat. I'm sure Germany knows what it's doing. ' F*ing cheek !

I have never said that what is happening in Zimbawe is right - I just think that 3yr olds can learn about the 'fluffy bits' of a country I would hope that no 3 yrold gets to sit and watch the news items about it.

Your views on boycotting children watching the Olympics would be interesting ?

So, if the children hear about Zimbabwe on the news (unlikely if they are 3) you say, yes, isn't it sad, the place you were singing about/so and so's mummy comes from, is not a good place to be right now, there are some very bad men there, and we hope it will be better soon and everyone can be happy there.
what's the problem?