GCSE history topic - Jack the Ripper.

[seeker]

I know I am very old, and very old fashioned, but SURELY Jack the Ripper is not a suitable topic for a GCSE History module?

It seems to me to be wrong on so many levels that I don't know where to start!

Depends on how it is taught, I would think. If the focus is on policing and social issues of the day then it is a valid topic as part of a broader learning experience. If there is a lot of focus on the gory details then that is not really appropriate for the classroom. If I were a 15(? - I presume for GCSE level?) year old girl studying the gory details of prostitute murders in a mixed gender classroom I'd feel pretty uncomfortable.

I suppose an analogy would be slavery. If it is taught with a focus on the social, economic and political context then it is very valid. But if there is a lot of emphasis on the sadism of slavery - the sheer brutality of humans owning other humans, whippings etc - then that could make students feel very uncomfortable, especially minority students in a mainly white classroom.

Doesn't that go for anything though - as long as it's taught well and not in a sensationalist manner then it's perfect valid and shouldn't make anyone uncomfortable. I doubt the prevailing message will be 'girls are slags and they get what they deserves'...

Do we really want to water history down and just teach kids the nice fluffy bits?

I'm still reeling from the fact my DS's GCSE history includes things that have happened in his lifetime (The Good Friday Agreement).