I just want a whinge really, I'd post in AIBU but I'm not feeling that brave!
I hate, loathe and detest the whole swimming carnival thing at Aussie schools. If you are into competitive swimming great, there are plenty of opportunities to swim here. Every swim school does squads. There are races, carnivals, competitions etc. - you can train seven days a week if you want.
But why, why do primary age children have to endure the annual swimming carnival. Do they really need to spend the day in their swimmers when most of them might be in the water for 15 minutes (and I still maintain that having to wear speedos is a form of cruel and unusual punishment!). Every year since we have been here the "lizard lane" which is supposed to be the fun bit has been closed in favour of the competitive races. Most kids, and parents who go along to watch, spend the day bored to tears but leaving early is a total no no. Both my primary kids swim like fish and average an hour a day in the pool in Summer but have no interest in racing; they are genuinely puzzled as to why anyone cares who can swim the fastest. I agree.
The Terracota Warriors are on display at the srt gallery of NSW and we all want to go see them. I know it is a total sop to my conscience to do something vaguely "educational" with them if I take them out of school for the day 
and it is VERY un-Australian but would it be an awful thing to do?