Was ours the only school that didn't mention Nelson Mandela Today?

11 replies

urbancupcake · 06/12/2013 22:17

Was listening to radio 4 this morning and they said that most schools had special assembly's today and the like, for Nelson Mandela.

Was quite surprised therefore, when I asked dd if it was mentioned and she said no not at all, and they had mass today.

Just thought it was quite a historical moment to not be mentioned at all. They sure did somersaults when the new pope was elected.

OP posts:

grants1000 · 06/12/2013 23:55

They discussed it in my DS's school today (y7) in his tutor group and history, also rugby funnily enough, about he all blacks. But no special assembly, which is fine by me.

Maybe just a catholic thing!

webwiz · 07/12/2013 11:06

no special assembly here either but it was the school feast day so they were off timetable doing catholic things anyway.

offblackeggshell · 07/12/2013 11:08

DD2 Y7 had a powerpoint presentation in tutor group time. DD1 Y9 nothing as far as I can tell.

trinity0097 · 07/12/2013 14:28

It was mentioned in chapel yesterday at our school, but no big fuss made. None of our South African teachers had any desire to mention it.

lljkk · 07/12/2013 15:15

It's been overkill, tbh.

phlebas · 07/12/2013 19:10

dd said they talked about it in form time but no assembly & they talked about it less than Tom Daley (apparently)

DivaMum23 · 07/12/2013 19:35

trinityoo97 not surprise about the South African teachers desire not to mention it, some are a shame about that episode in their history and many mourn the lost of the apartheid system.
My son said it wasn't mention in any of his class doesn't mean other class didn't discuss it. He goes to an independent school

Original poster

urbancupcake · 09/12/2013 23:36

Interesting feedback, thanks guys.

Didn't think about it being an embarrassing time for South African teachers, but yes of course, it will be.

@Diva - true, for many they grew up seeing it as the norm and in their warped minds, would see anything other as barbaric.

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MissMillament · 10/12/2013 21:24

Just because schools didn't mention it straight away doesn't mean they are ignoring it. Ours is having a special assembly on Friday.

granita · 11/12/2013 13:32

Quite unfair to presume that SA teachers will be "ashamed." Some whites supported the ANC during the apartheid era. Nobel prize winner, Nadine Gordimer, springs to mind. She hid ANC fighters in her home at great personal risk!

starfish4 · 12/12/2013 10:14

My daughter's school haven't said anything. As it happens though, her tutor group has to be an assembly on someone they should look up to in history soon and she's fairly certain it's going to be Nelson Mandela.

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